HP updates its Elite Dragonfly laptop with 5G and Tile tracking
Scatterbrains rejoice!
HP already made waves with far-out claims about its Elite Dragonfly when it launched last year, saying things like it was "lighter than air," and the "world's first business convertible with preinstalled personal wellbeing software." But the company is here at CES 2020 with a new version that has some new unique features. It's the "world's first laptop with built-in Tile," for example, so you can find your notebook if you misplace it by using an app. The new Dragonfly also features 5G connectivity, starting first with Sprint service and other carriers to follow later. For an update that is taking place just about four months after, the next-gen Elite Dragonfly certainly seems like a meaty update.
I was already rather taken by the original Elite Dragonfly. It was impressively light at 2.2 pounds (or about 0.99kg) and had a pretty blue hue. For its diminutive size, the Dragonfly also packed a ton of power. You could get it with up to eighth-generation Intel Core vPro chips with up to 16GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. The new version offers tenth-generation Intel Core i3, i5 or i7, with similar storage and RAM capacities. A tenth-gen Core vPro model is expected to be ready in the summer, though.
Like the original, the Dragonfly G2 offers a panel option that supports UHD HDR 400 for more vivid colors and dynamic range. Both generations also come with a built-in webcam shutter that HP is calling the Privacy Camera. Depending on the model, you can expect up to 16.5 or 24 hours of battery life, though it's worth noting that longer-lasting models will weigh more. That number might also change depending on your use of 5G or LTE, by the way. The Dragonfly G2 will come with an Intel XMM 7360 Cat 9 LTE radio, and a version with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X55 5G radio is expected in the vPro model.
HP also upgraded its Sure View built-in privacy screen that helps prevent over-the-shoulder snooping from onlookers. Previous versions of this technology let you blackout or, later, whiteout your laptop's screen at the push of a button. On the Elite Dragonfly, the Sure View screen is copper tinted and slightly reflective when activated when viewed from an angle. Your contents can only be seen when you're seated directly front and center of your laptop. This works well in both bright and dark environments, so you can work on sensitive material even when they dim the lights in the airplane or if you're sitting by the window in the train.
One of the many things HP highlighted when it launched the Elite Dragonfly was how much of it was built from recycled materials, and the second-gen device is largely the same. Over 82 percent of its mechanical parts is made from recycled material, according to the company. Not only is HP focusing on using ocean-bound plastics and recycled material in its laptops and gadgets, but the company also released a new series of bags and accessories using 100 percent recycled material called the Renew Series.
The new Elite Dragonfly will be available via HP's website in February, though the company hasn't shared a starting price. The original Dragonfly retailed at $1,549, though, so expect prices to come in around that number and increase as you add features like embedded the Tile tracker.
