The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI isn't a bad business laptop, but it isn't a good value for your money, either. Luckily, you don't have to spend as much as you might think to get one of the best business laptops.
In general, business laptops are pricier than mainstream laptops, often because they offer more security features or stronger performance. Prices are also frequently higher through retailers because they are intended for bulk enterprise purchases, rather than individual users.
As a result, it's not uncommon to see business laptops cost $2,000 or more.
Don't let the "business laptop" label fool you, though. You don't have to spend that much to get a great laptop for getting work done. The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI is a perfect example since it looks great on paper but underperforms for its price point.
If you want the best value for your money, you should know a few drawbacks to watch out for when buying a business laptop, plus a few top picks under $2,000.
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Don't compromise these features in a business laptop
I wanted to like the HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI, with its slim-and-light design, great display, and fantastic keyboard. Unfortunately, it fell short of expectations in a couple of key areas where you absolutely should not compromise when buying a business laptop.
The big one is battery life. If you commute or travel frequently, battery life should be a top priority for you. You shouldn't settle for less than 12 hours, and you can find strong options that deliver 14 hours or more.
The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI lasted less than 11 hours in our battery life test, which is a major reason why I wouldn't recommend buying it at its full price of $2,429.
Business users should also pay close attention to multicore performance. Laptop Mag measures this with the Geekbench 6 performance benchmark. For a laptop that costs over $2,000, I like to see a score of at least 12,000 on Geekbench 6.
The EliteBook Ultra G1i AI fell short of that with a score of 11,010, which is a bit of a letdown considering less expensive business laptops have scored significantly higher.
Despite underwhelming performance and battery life, there is one core business laptop trait the EliteBook Ultra G1i AI got right: portability.
It measures 12.35 x 8.55 x 0.48 inches and weighs just 2.6 pounds, which are great specs for a business laptop. You can easily hold it in one hand and fit it into almost any laptop bag, making this design perfect for travel and commuting.
3 top business laptops under $2,000 that offer great value for your money
1. MacBook Pro M4
At $2,429, the HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI just isn't good bang for your buck. There are a few other business laptops available for less than $2,000 that deliver better value for your money, particularly when it comes to battery life and overall performance.
The MacBook Pro M4 is a perfect example. It's more mainstream than most other business laptops, but it delivers fantastic performance at a significantly lower price than the EliteBook Ultra G1i AI. It has an especially impressive battery life, lasting over 18 hours in our tests.
2. Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6
Next up is the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6. This laptop might not be as stylish as the MacBook Pro or the HP EliteBook G1i AI, but it delivers where it counts: battery life.
The ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 currently holds Laptop Mag's record for best battery life at over 21 hours. As if that wasn't enough of a reason to make this your next business laptop, it's also surprisingly lightweight at just 2.7 pounds and costs almost $1,000 less than the EliteBook G1i AI.
One factor to consider with the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is that not all Windows software is compatible with its ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chipset, so you'll want to verify that your must-have apps are on the approved list.
3. Asus ExpertBook P5 (P5405)
Finally, another fantastic option is the Asus ExpertBook P5 (P5405). This laptop has a lot in common with the HP EliteBook G1i AI, but delivers it at a far lower price with significantly higher battery life.
In fact, the ExpertBook is so affordable that reviewer and Laptop Mag Managing Editor Sean Riley joked in his review, "The pricing on the ExpertBook P5 almost feels like a tax loophole, but I won’t tell if you won’t."
The multicore performance on the ExpertBook could be better, but it's much more excusable at this price compared to the EliteBook's asking price of over $2,000.
