HP EliteBook W-Series Mobile Workstation Hands-On

HP unveiled its newest mobile workstations today: the 17.3-inch EliteBook 8770w, 15.6-inch EliteBook 8570w and 14-inch EliteBook 8470w. The manufacturer was kind enough to let us take a peek before the announcement, which we did with gusto. Who needs a slinky ultrabook when you can use a mobile workstation as bot a mobile CAD machine and a blunt instrument?

The latest entries in the w-series follow HP's no-nonsense approach to their most powerful laptop form factor devices. They're big, they're heavy, and they're crammed to the brim with all the ports and options a digital professional could want. The sturdy hinge and spun metal top make them feel like tanks – which is appropriate, since HP's customers sometimes use them in the vicinity of tanks. The mobile workstations are designed to be much more modular and upgradeable than standard laptops.

HP isn't ready to release the full specs on these babies yes, but from our observations we found biometric scanners, pointer sticks, USB 3,0, e-SATA, FireWire, and top and bottom mouse buttons, some or all of which will be optional. Expect the highest-resolution displays, newest Intel processors and a staggering amount of RAM and storage capacity. The three new workstation models should be available this summer.