The HP Elite Dragonfly series is dedicated to business users. As such, the design language is agreeable and classy but also visually low-key. HP pretty much went as far as it could with the colors, and the metallic blue accent looks even better in the real world if it is anything close to what we have seen from HP before.
5G connectivity with AT&T or T-Mobile is a built-in option for those who must remain connected continuously, and we surely advise for an internal modem instead of having an external WiFi access point. Things are streamlined, usually faster, and you do not have to worry about yet another battery.
An unfortunate reality of being a road warrior is the possibility of loss or theft. In such an event, the integrated Tile tracking system puts all the chances on your side for a possible recovery. Tile relies on a peer-to-peer network comprised of all smartphones running the Tile app and is one of the largest of its kind.
For conferences, the Dragonfly Max has a four-microphone array (for noise-reduction) and a 5-Megapixel webcam, a solid setup for a laptop. The G2 has a more standard 1.2 Megapixel camera and a regular microphone.
You can choose a 1080p or 4K display on the Dragonfly G2, but the Max model only has a 1080p option. Perhaps that is because of the webcam and microphone module integration. If you are wary of people looking at your screen, HP has a display option with a narrower field of view so that neighbors sitting next to you would see a blackened screen.
Full-size ports such as USB and HDMI are available for convenience, and two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports for maximum connectivity and performance. Business users often require legacy ports during a presentation and casual information exchange via USB keys.
The laptops are tougher than they look, and HP can prove it thanks to a MIL-STD-810G certification (19 tests). If you are in a hurry to charge the laptop before hopping into a flight or meeting, just 30mn will yield a 50% charge.
HP has not finalized its pricing, but we will know soon enough since both laptops will ship this month.
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