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| The EliteBook 8 Flip G2i 13 ships with a Nested Rechargeable Pen. |
If you’ve been keeping an eye on HP’s business laptop lineup, you already know the company has been busy. Just over two months ago, HP officially unveiled the EliteBook 8 G2 series, a broad refresh that spanned multiple screen sizes, form factors, and processor options. Now, the first wave of that rollout is hitting store shelves worldwide — and the star of the show is a sleek 13-inch convertible that aims to replace one of HP’s most popular enterprise 2-in-1s.
Meet the HP EliteBook 8 Flip G2i 13. It’s already listed for purchase in several countries, including the US, UK, Germany, and other Eurozone markets. And if the specs look familiar to fans of the previous-generation Flip G1i 13 — which we reviewed back in September 2025 featuring Intel’s Arrow Lake-U platform (currently $3,144 on Amazon) — well, HP has made some genuinely interesting changes under the hood.
A Surprising Performance Twist
Here’s where things get a little unexpected. According to our own benchmark comparisons, the entry-level configuration of the new EliteBook 8 Flip G2i 13 doesn’t actually outperform its predecessor in every scenario. In fact, the older EliteBook 8 Flip G1i 13 — with its Intel Arrow Lake-U processor — still holds its own against the newer model’s most basic SKU.
Why? Because HP decided to lead the G2i lineup with a Core Ultra 5 322 chip, which packs only 6 cores. That’s a curious choice for a 2026 flagship convertible, especially when the previous generation offered higher-core-count options. But before you write off the new Flip, remember that HP is also offering the G2i 13 with a range of more powerful Panther Lake processors — and that’s where this little 2-in-1 really starts to shine.
Regional Processor Variants: One Laptop, Many Personalities
HP is doing something clever with regional segmentation. Depending on where you live, the EliteBook 8 Flip G2i 13 ships with different CPU tiers.
- Germany and the UK – The base model starts with the Core Ultra 7 355, which easily outpaces the older Core Ultra 7 265U. UK buyers can also step up to Core Ultra 7 356H SKUs, featuring 16 CPU cores and support for up to 64 GB of RAM.
- United States – The US market gets the moderately more powerful Core Ultra 7 366H, available with 24 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of RAM. That’s a serious amount of memory for a 13-inch convertible, making it a legitimate desktop replacement for mobile professionals.
So while the entry-level 6-core model might raise an eyebrow, the higher-tier Panther Lake configurations are no joke. HP clearly intends the G2i 13 to serve everyone from frontline workers (who need battery life and security) to power users (who need cores and RAM).
Same Core Hardware, Smart Upgrades
Across all SKUs — regardless of processor or region — HP maintains a consistent hardware backbone. Every EliteBook 8 Flip G2i 13 comes with:
- A 62 Wh battery (decent for a 13-inch convertible, though we’ll need to test real-world runtime)
- Up to 2 TB of PCIe Gen 5 storage — yes, Gen 5, so speed junkies will be happy
- Optional NFC and 5G connectivity via MediaTek’s T700 modem
That last point is worth emphasizing. HP is one of the few laptop makers still pushing integrated 5G in premium business convertibles. If you work on the road or in crowded urban environments, having always-on cellular can be a genuine productivity lifeline.
Five Display Choices — All IPS, All 1200p, 60 Hz
One of the more unusual aspects of the G2i 13 is its display lineup. HP is offering five different 13-inch IPS panels, and they all share the same resolution (1200p) and refresh rate (60 Hz). No OLED, no high-refresh option, no 4K.
However, there is meaningful variation in brightness and color coverage. The top-tier panels peak at 800 nits and cover 100% of the sRGB color space. That’s exceptionally bright — perfect for outdoor or well-lit office use — and the full sRGB gamut means colors will look accurate for most business and creative work. Lower-tier panels are dimmer (likely 400 or 500 nits) and may have more modest color coverage.
For a premium convertible starting above $3,000, the lack of a 90 Hz or 120 Hz option might disappoint some users. But HP is clearly targeting enterprise IT departments here, where reliability, readability, and battery life often trump gaming-grade refresh rates.
Pricing and Availability
The HP EliteBook 8 Flip G2i 13 is already shipping globally. Pricing varies by region and configuration:
- United States – Starting at $3,128
- Eurozone – Starting at €2,539
- United Kingdom – Starting at £1,520
That UK price is notably lower than the US and Eurozone figures, likely due to different base specifications. As always, expect to pay significantly more for upgrades like 64 GB of RAM, 2 TB Gen 5 storage, 5G, and the 800-nit display.
For a deeper dive into the original EliteBook G2 series announcement from two months ago — including details on the 14-inch and 16-inch models — check out our earlier coverage here:
👉 HP Unveils Next-Gen EliteBook G2 Series
And if you want the latest availability and regional pricing updates for the 13-inch Flip model specifically, we’ve been tracking those changes here:
👉 HP’s New EliteBook 8 G2i 13 Lands in Global Markets
Should You Upgrade?
If you already own the previous EliteBook 8 Flip G1i 13 with Arrow Lake-U, the answer depends on your workload. For everyday office tasks, web browsing, and video conferencing, the G1i is still perfectly capable — and as we noted, its entry-level performance actually matches or beats the G2i’s Core Ultra 5 322 in some benchmarks.
But if you need more than 6 cores, or you want Panther Lake’s improved AI acceleration (for Windows Studio Effects, local LLMs, or background blur), then stepping up to a Core Ultra 7 356H or 366H configuration makes a lot of sense. The 64 GB RAM ceiling and PCIe Gen 5 storage are also future-proofing perks that the G1i can’t match.
One more thing: keep an eye on HP’s business outlet and authorized resellers. The G1i 13 is still available at a discount — you can find it on Amazon for around $3,144 — so if you don’t need the latest Panther Lake features, that might be the smarter buy.
Bottom Line
The HP EliteBook 8 Flip G2i 13 is a classic “it depends” product. For mobile professionals who need 5G, Gen 5 storage, and up to 64 GB of RAM in a compact 2-in-1 chassis, there’s almost nothing else like it on the market. The 800-nit IPS display is a genuine outdoor-friendly asset, and Panther Lake’s multi-core performance (on the higher SKUs) is nothing to sneeze at.
On the flip side, the entry-level 6-core model feels underwhelming at this price point, and the lack of high-refresh or OLED panels might turn off creative users. Still, for IT departments standardizing on HP’s EliteBook ecosystem, the G2i 13 delivers exactly what matters: security, manageability, connectivity, and a no-compromise keyboard-and-trackpoint experience.
Global availability is live now. Whether you’re in the US, UK, or Eurozone, you can configure your own Flip G2i 13 directly from HP or through authorized business partners. We’ll have a full review with battery life and thermal benchmarks soon — stay tuned.
Source : HP Germany, HP UK (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) & HP US
