Ratings — 4/5At Rs 2,50,000, the HP EliteBook X G2i is not trying to be just another premium laptop. HP has built this 14-inch notebook for professionals who want a machine that is light enough to carry everywhere but powerful enough to handle demanding work, including AI tasks. It comes with Intel Core Ultra processor options, an AI-focused NPU, enterprise-grade security and features aimed at video meetings and productivity. On paper, it looks like a laptop designed to combine portability with serious business performance. But at this price, expectations are naturally high. The real question is whether the EliteBook X G2i can deliver the kind of everyday experience that makes its Rs 2,50,000 starting price feel justified. Let’s find out
Design and display
The first thing we noticed about the HP EliteBook X G2i is how easy it is to carry. HP lists the laptop at a starting weight of 0.99kg, while its maximum height is 1.71cm, depending on the configuration. That makes its slim and lightweight design one of the laptop’s strongest points for professionals who move between meetings, offices and travel. The laptop is positioned by HP as an ultralight business PC, and that focus is clear in everyday use.HP EliteBook X G2i offers a well-rounded selection of ports, which is useful when we use it as our everyday work machine. It has two Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C ports with 40Gbps signaling, USB Power Delivery 3.0 and DisplayPort 2.1 support. There is also one USB Type-C 10Gbps port with USB Power Delivery 3.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 support.For older accessories, we get one powered USB Type-A 5Gbps port, while the HDMI 2.1 port makes connecting an external monitor or projector straightforward. There is also a stereo headphone/microphone combo jack for wired audio and a nano security lock slot, which should be useful in office environments.
In our daily use, the combination of USB-C, USB-A and HDMI gives us enough flexibility to connect a mouse, external storage, display and other office accessories without constantly reaching for adapters.The EliteBook X G2i also has a practical business focus rather than a flashy design. HP describes it as an enterprise-ready machine built for mobile productivity, with security and serviceability also being important parts of the design. The laptop comes in Eclipse Gray, Glacier Silver and Atmospheric Blue, depending on the configuration.The 14-inch display is available in several configurations, so the experience will depend on the variant you choose. Options include a WUXGA (1920×1200) IPS display with anti-glare coating, 400 nits brightness and 100% sRGB, as well as touchscreen WUXGA panels with up to 800 nits brightness. HP also offers 3K (2880×1800) OLED options with a 120Hz refresh rate, including a touchscreen Tandem OLED variant with up to 700 nits brightness and 100% DCI-P3 coverage.In our day-to-day use, the HP EliteBook X G2i’s 14-inch display proved comfortable for regular work. The 16:10 aspect ratio gives us more vertical space, which is particularly useful when working on documents, browsing long web pages or handling spreadsheets. Text looks sharp and easy to read, while colours appear vibrant enough for presentations, images and video calls.The display also works well in different lighting conditions. The anti-glare treatment helps reduce distracting reflections, while HP’s Eye Ease features make the screen more comfortable during longer work sessions. We spent several hours at a stretch reading and writing on the laptop without finding the display tiring.Our unit’s OLED panel is particularly impressive when watching videos or viewing images, with deeper blacks and stronger contrast than a standard LCD screen. The 120Hz refresh rate also makes scrolling through webpages and documents feel smoother.HP also offers configurations with Sure View, which is useful if you regularly work with sensitive information in public places. The feature helps limit what people sitting beside you can see on the screen.
Performance
HP EliteBook X G2i feels is available with several Intel Core Ultra 5, Core Ultra 7 and Core Ultra X7 processors, with configurations offering up to 16 cores and 50 TOPS of NPU performance. The higher-end variants also come with Intel Arc B390 graphics, giving the laptop more headroom for graphics-heavy work.We reviewed the Intel Core Ultra X7 variant. In everyday use, the laptop feels well suited to a demanding workday. We could move between multiple browser tabs, documents, presentations and video calls without the system feeling held back. The combination of the Core Ultra X7 processor, fast LPDDR5x memory and PCIe Gen5 SSD gives the EliteBook X G2i the kind of responsiveness we expect from a premium business laptop. HP offers up to 64GB LPDDR5x-9600 memory and up to 2TB PCIe Gen5 NVMe SSD storage, depending on the configuration.AI performance is where this laptop stands out. The 50 TOPS NPU is an important part of the Core Ultra X7 configuration. Instead of treating AI as just another software feature, HP uses the NPU for supported workloads and features. We noticed this most clearly with Poly Camera Pro, which uses the NPU for features such as Now Framing, Spotlight, Background Blur and virtual backgrounds during video calls. This comes in handy specially on days when a large part of the day is scheduled for online meetings.Another useful feature during everyday use is HP Smart Sense. It is designed to adjust the laptop’s performance and power behaviour based on the workload, while also keeping the system quieter under heavier use. There is also a Performance Mode for situations where we need more performance.Overall, the EliteBook X G2i’s performance is less about chasing gaming-level power and more about consistent performance for professional workloads. That makes sense for a laptop aimed at executives and business users, particularly those who want on-device AI capabilities without giving up portability.
Battery
The HP EliteBook X G2i is designed to support professionals who spend long hours away from a power socket. Depending on the configuration, the laptop comes with either a 56Wh or 68Wh battery, so battery capacity can vary between models. The laptop also supports HP Fast Charge, which can charge the battery up to 50% in about 30 minutes under HP’s specified conditions.In our everyday use, the battery experience fits the laptop’s focus on mobility. For regular work such as browsing, writing, working on documents and attending meetings, we could use it comfortably without constantly looking for a charger. The lightweight design also makes it practical to carry around during the day.HP Power Manager is another useful addition. It lets us monitor battery performance and condition and customise charging options, which can be useful for people who use the laptop regularly on battery power.
Verdict
At a starting price of Rs 2,50,000, the HP EliteBook X G2i is an expensive laptop, but our experience shows that it offers more than just a premium design. Its lightweight build, comfortable 14-inch display, strong connectivity and powerful Core Ultra X7 performance make it well suited to professionals who spend their day moving between documents, presentations, browser tabs and video meetings.The 50 TOPS NPU and AI features add another useful layer, particularly for video calls through Poly Camera Pro, while HP Smart Sense helps balance performance and power during everyday use. The laptop also offers enough ports to work as a primary office machine without forcing us to depend heavily on adapters.Having said that, the price limits its end user to those who specifically need a premium business laptop and its enterprise-focused features. For professionals who value portability, performance, AI capabilities and a strong work-focused experience, the EliteBook X G2i makes a compelling case. It may be expensive, but it delivers a well-rounded experience that makes it a strong choice for professionals on the move.