14 DAY TRIAL // Palo Alto, California-based system vendor HP has announced today the expansion of its portable computer system offering, with the introduction of a new line of portable PCs, dubbed ProBook. The new series is designed to provide business users with an alternative to other business-oriented laptops currently available on the market. Built using the company's experience with the EliteBook series, also designed for professionals and business users, the new series will be available in a range of display sizes, including 14-inch, 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch. With the launch of the new series, HP has also expanded its laptop lineup with 5 new models, part of the new ProBook s-series.
“The stunning HP ProBook s-series delivers exceptional style and aggressive pricing that will captivate small and medium business users,” said Ted Clark, senior vice president and general manager, Notebook Global Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, HP. “But it’s not just about good looks or low cost, the HP ProBooks deliver the right blend of features and professional innovations to provide a great user experience.”
Featuring a 14-inch 16:9 HD widescreen LED backlit display, HP's new ProBook 4410s and ProBook 4415s will provide users with options for a Blu-ray optical drive, a choice for an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 or Intel GMA X4500 HD graphics. The two systems will be available with both Intel and AMD processors, offering a choice for better performance and longer battery life, according to the vendor. Additional features include the standard Wi-Fi WLAN and optional Bluetooth connectivity.
In addition to the two 14-inch laptops, the new HP ProBook series is available in two 15.6-inch models, the ProBook 4510s and the ProBook 4515s. Both are equipped with 16:9: HD widescreen LED backlit display and a choice for integrated UMA graphics. On the connectivity side, the two systems provide the end-user with choices for the optional HP Mobile Broadband with built-in Gobi technology, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The first of the two will be powered by Intel processors, while the 4515s will be designed on AMD processors.
As mentioned before, the new series will be available to customers in a 17-inch form factor, featuring a 17.3-inch HD widescreen display and equipped with the Radeon HD 4330 graphics chip, with up to 512MB GDDR2 memory. The system is powered by Intel's latest Core 2 Duo processors and will offer standard Wi-Fi connectivity and optional Bluetooth technology. For multimedia enthusiasts, the system is equipped with an HDMI port.
The new ProBook series will be available in the U.S. at an estimated street price of $529, while an optional HP USB 2.0 docking station is now available for $130, according to HP. This docking station allows the user of an HP ProBook laptop to connect up to four USB 2.0 devices, an external video, audio and network, through a single device.