A big brain that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg
HP offers a varied lineup of ZBook mobile workstations, but the entry-level ZBook Power 16 G11 A (starts at $1,199; $2,629 as tested) might be the most important. It admirably delivers creative performance on a big screen while maintaining the build quality and connectivity of higher-end ZBooks. Although it falls short for color-sensitive work due to its lack of a professional-grade screen, it still stands out for offering decent performance and workstation features at a reasonable price and earns an Editors’ Choice award for affordable laptop workstations.Design: Built Exceptionally Well
HP’s value-driven option, the ZBook Power outperforms the lightweight ZBook Firefly and offers capabilities similar to the ZBook Studio, albeit without the Studio’s style or high-end options. This laptop is suited for light content creation and modeling rather than 4K video editing or heavy CGI rendering like the flagship ZBook Fury.
The ZBook Power base model doesn’t really qualify as a workstation with the Radeon integrated graphics of its AMD Ryzen 5 processor. Our review config, by contrast, maximizes this laptop’s potential, boasting a Ryzen 9 Pro 8945HS CPU and Nvidia RTX 3000 Ada Generation graphics. HP also offers an Intel-based version, the ZBook Power 16 G11 (without the A).
The ZBook is one of the largest business laptops, measuring 0.9 by 14.2 by 9.2 inches and weighing 4.5 pounds. It isn’t as sleek as the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch but is more portable than the HP ZBook Fury 16 G11. Neither of those laptops competes directly with the Power; in fact, it faces little competition, as value-oriented AMD mobile workstations are absent from Dell’s and Lenovo’s lineups.
Simply picking up the ZBook Power will impart that HP knows how to build a strong laptop. Its aluminum chassis is as solid as they come, with minor flex in the lid that’s forgivable given its size. Its gunmetal finish emits a pleasant scratchy sound when you run your fingers across it. Perfectly rounded edges and the stylized HP logo on the lid set off the notebook’s professional aesthetic.
The ZBook Power’s entry-level status doesn’t preclude premium features, such as a three-year warranty and a sharp 1440p webcam with privacy shutter. Its abundant security features include an infrared webcam sensor, a fingerprint reader, and a SmartCard slot. Additionally, the laptop comes with HP’s Wolf Pro hardware and software security suite and, when equipped with a Ryzen Pro processor, AMD’s IT deployment and management capabilities.
The workstation’s physical connections include two USB4 ports, two USB Type-A 3.2 ports, an HDMI monitor output, an Ethernet jack, a full-size SD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack—it’s a solid variety. The barrel-style power connector is on the left while a Kensington cable-lock notch is opposite. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 are standard. Although there’s no option for Wi-Fi 7, 4G mobile broadband is available.Using the ZBook Power: Big-Screen Productivity
The ZBook Power is an ideal desktop replacement. From its expansive screen to its full keyboard, it provides everything required for a productive day.
The 2,560-by-1,600-pixel screen, an upgrade from the base 1,920-by-1,200-pixel panel, boasts impressive brightness and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Its anti-glare coating minimizes reflections but lacks the touch capability offered on the base screen. While colors appear well saturated, testing (covered in the next section) reveals the display doesn’t fully cover the Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color spaces, making it less suitable for color-critical work. Those willing to sacrifice graphics performance for a better screen can buy the ZBook Firefly 16 G11 with a vibrant OLED screen for similar money. For every other purpose, though, this screen is more than sufficient. I also appreciated the laptop’s fold-flat design when I had it propped on my knees while lying on the couch.
I performed well on the ZBook’s keyboard, achieving 117 words per minute with 99% accuracy using MonkeyType.
