HP adds two new Dragonfly models to its business lineup

HP will release business laptops of all shapes and sizes this year, but the C-suite they're eyeing is a member of the Elite Dragonfly line. If its predecessors are anything to go by, the Elite Dragonfly G3 will be a light, powerful, beautiful and undoubtedly expensive Windows PC. The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook will, more interestingly, bring the Chrome OS platform to the line for the first time. This could be the premium, well-built device that Chrome OS fans in the business sector have been waiting for.

The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook features a haptic trackpad (the first we've seen on a Chromebook to date), a fingerprint sensor, and a Sure View Reflect privacy screen. For a better conference call experience, the device includes "AI-enhanced video and audio". These features are all staples of the Dragonfly line, but are rare in the Chromebook space.

You can configure the Dragonfly Chromebook with up to 512GB of storage and 32GB of RAM. It includes 12th generation Intel processors and will be the first Chromebook to support Intel's vPro platform. The battery is 51Whr, and HP claims it can charge to 90 percent in 90 minutes, which would be fast for a Chromebook.

The Dragonfly G3 doesn't look much different from the Dragonfly Gen 2. The most exciting change is that the 16:9 aspect ratio has finally been abandoned in favor of a 3:2 display. (The Chromebook mentioned above is also 3:2.) More vertical space, hooray! It's also interesting that HP has abandoned the convertible form factor - the Gen 2 was a 2-in-1, but the Gen 3 is a clamshell.

Like its Chromebook sibling, the G3 includes AI features for conference calls (including a "Presence Filter" to reduce noise and noise in your video feed that helps reduce muffled by masks) and 12th generation Intel has rolled out access to processors that support the vPro platform. This includes up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage as well as a 68Wh battery.

Last year's Elite Dragonfly laptops really were the best. The Dragonfly Max was one of the prettiest devices I tested last year and would absolutely be my laptop of choice—except it was too expensive for most people to be a realistic purchase. Hopefully adding a Chromebook to the line will help bring the Dragonfly's exceptional build and state-of-the-art security and AI features to a more accessible price point. It could also be a good option for employees who prefer Chrome OS over Windows but don't yet have the security and stability options they need.

The HP Elite Dragonfly G3 is expected to be available in March, while Chromebooks are coming in April. Pricing hasn't been announced - but I think it's safe to assume they won't be cheap.