HP EliteBook 14" G1i 2025, Core Ultra 5 226V, 16GB, 512GB SSD, atmospheric blue

The EliteBook X Flip G1i is a light, flexible business 2-in-1 with a bright touchscreen and great ports. Gaming is a lost cause at 19/100. Worth considering if you find it at the lower end of the price range, especially in Canada where the spread is huge.

The Core Ultra 5 226V handles everyday office work, web browsing, and light multitasking without breaking a sweat. The integrated Intel Arc 130V graphics are fine for spreadsheets and video calls, but the gaming score of 19 out of 100 tells you everything you need to know. Don't expect to play anything beyond casual titles. The 16GB of LPDDR5X is solid for this class, though the 512GB SSD is just average. The 400-nit display is bright enough for most offices, and the 68Wh battery should get you through a workday.

Against the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition, the EliteBook X Flip wins on flexibility thanks to the 360-degree hinge and included stylus. But the Surface has stronger reliability and better social proof. The Apple MacBook Pro M4 Pro absolutely destroys this thing in raw performance, though it costs more and isn't a 2-in-1. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 and Lenovo Legion Pro 7i are gaming machines that make the EliteBook's 19/100 gaming score look embarrassing, but they're heavier and aimed at a completely different buyer.

Pricing is all over the place. In the US you're looking at $1,299, which feels steep for 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. Canadian buyers should shop carefully because the spread is wild, from CAD 1,765 to CAD 3,100 across just two listings. The lower end of that range is reasonable for a business convertible. The higher end is not. If you're in Canada, hunt for the cheaper listing before pulling the trigger.

The HP EliteBook X Flip G1i is a business 2-in-1 that leans hard into portability and AI buzzwords. You get a 14-inch WUXGA touchscreen, an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD in a 1.40kg chassis. It's clearly built for people who flip between laptop and tablet mode during meetings, not for anyone chasing frame rates.

Our database puts its compactness and port selection well above average, which makes sense given the 360-degree hinge and Thunderbolt 4 support. But the reliability score is rough, and social proof is nearly nonexistent. This is a niche machine with some real strengths and one glaring weakness.

Skip this if you need any real graphics performance. The gaming score of 19/100 is one of the worst we've seen in this category. Also skip it if reliability matters more than portability, because the reliability percentile is disappointing. And if you're in Canada, don't pay anywhere near CAD 3,100 when the same machine is listed for CAD 1,765 elsewhere.

This is a solid choice for business users who want a lightweight convertible with good ports and a bright touchscreen. It's not for gamers, not for creative pros who need serious GPU power, and not for anyone who values proven reliability over spec sheet features. If you live in spreadsheets and slide decks and want something easy to carry, it works.