I’ve received my first two Copilot+ PCs to review, and both are impressive products. I got a gorgeous HP EliteBook Ultra 14 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop, 7th Edition, both of which have just started shipping.
While these are nearly identical in size and weight, the HP EliteBook targets enterprise buyers and offers features like Wolf Security, which this user class highly values. Microsoft targets the Surface Laptop at people who would otherwise buy Apple.
These products outperform their Apple alternatives, though neither HP nor Microsoft has the level of smartphone integration or smartphone commonality that Apple users have come to expect and value.
Although Microsoft and HP are capable of building better hardware than Apple, neither has stepped up even to try to provide a better solution, making these Apple comparisons pointless.
Let’s talk about Copilot+ PCs this week, and we’ll close with my Product of the Week, the best new electric car on the market.
HP EliteBook Ultra 14
The HP EliteBook Ultra 14 is a pretty piece of work. It comes in Dragonfly Blue, my favorite color for a laptop until someone makes a purple one. HP once made my favorite notebook of all time, the old Qualcomm-powered Folio, which would have been the perfect configuration for one of these new Copilot+ PCs. Fortunately, my second favorite was the old Dragonfly notebook in the same color as this EliteBook.
With 28 hours of video playback and a carry weight of just under three pounds, this notebook is an impressive product. It comes with 16GB of memory, a 512GB hard drive, a decent display with 300 nits of brightness (indoor only), and a price just shy of $1,700.
Its standout feature is the newest Wolf Security anti-malware software, which employs AI to better identify and mitigate threats. This unique solution is currently unmatched in the market. With attacks from hostile nation-states like Russia, China, and North Korea still spreading and focused on those in large companies with valuable privileges the bad guys want to steal, this level of security is critical for a business-focused laptop.
The EliteBook Ultra sports two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and a headphone jack. The power supply is a small USB-C unit that uses one of those USB-C ports while in use. This notebook supports the Wi-Fi 6E standard.
Microsoft Surface Laptop, 7th Edition
The Microsoft Surface Laptop, 7th Edition is also pretty. It comes in four colors: sapphire, dune, platinum, and the one they sent me in black. I like the black the best.
The Surface Laptop uses the unique PixelSense display, which has the perfect aspect ratio for Windows, a unique advantage that still seems to apply only to Microsoft’s offerings. It has around 400+ nits, which means it works a little better outdoors but is still a bit short of ideal for that use. While it starts at just under $1,000, when configured similarly to the HP EliteBook, the price jumps to just under $1,400.
This Surface Laptop has dimensions and weight identical to HP’s EliteBook, and it still represents my favorite Surface configuration, even though the Surface Pro is the more performant product due to its WAN option. Given both products use Qualcomm solutions, this should be part of every one of these configurations since WAN modems are where Qualcomm has traditionally excelled.
The more powerful screen contributes to the Surface Laptop having less video viewing battery life, but it is still an impressive 20 hours.
One of the key differentiators of the Surface Laptop is its power supply. Unlike many other laptops, it doesn’t take up a USB-C slot, allowing you to use both USB-C ports freely. Additionally, it has a USB-A port and a headphone jack. The power supply is designed to easily disconnect if someone trips over the cord, protecting the device from damage. Anyone working from home with kids or pets should require this feature on a laptop.
Microsoft’s online trade-in program currently offers up to $600, making this an even better value if you have an old laptop that needs to be retired.
Prince Parfait