HP is also going big on power with the new mobile workstation delivering more watts to the processors than any previous ZBook
HP is gearing up for the Spring 2025 launch of its first-ever 18-inch mobile workstation, which has been engineered to provide up to 200W Thermal design Power (TDP) to deliver more power for next-generation discrete graphics.
When it comes to details, HP is keeping its cards close to its chest, but has stated that the pro laptop will feature massive memory and storage and will be nearly the same size as a 17” mobile workstation.
According to HP, the device aims to redefine both portability and performance with impressive capabilities to unlock new, more demanding workflows. HP has stated that the machine will be cooled by 3x turbo fans and HP Vaporforce Thermals.
What DEVELOP3D thinks
This is a very interesting move from HP, which like the two other major workstation OEMs – Dell and Lenovo – has shied away from going big when it comes to mobile workstations.
For years, the largest mobile workstations offered by all three OEMs were 17-inch models with power supply units (PSUs) that peaked at 230W – 240W. With HP stating that its new 18-inch beast will come with a TDP of 200W, we expect the PSU will deliver over 300W, and will be used predominantly when plugged into the mains.
So, why after all this time has HP decided to go big on power? We expect there are two reasons behind this move.
First, discrete GPUs continue to demand more and more wattage, so in a power-limited laptop chassis, that means lots of performance is left on the table.
Two, over the last few years, specialist companies like MSI have been increasing the power draw in their mobile workstations, so HP has probably faced increased competition from other areas.
The 18-inch MSI CreatorPro X18 HX – A14V, for example, delivers 270W to its Intel Core i9 HX (14th Gen) processor and Nvidia RTX 5000 Ada GPU, thanks to its 400W power supply. While HP’s current flagship mobile workstation, the 16-inch HP ZBook Fury G11, offers the exact same processors, the MSI CreatorPro should win hands down in any multi-threaded or graphics intensive workloads, simply because those processors can be clocked higher.
We don’t expect HP’s forthcoming 18-inch mobile workstation to sell in big numbers, but history tells us that having a high-performance niche product in a much broader portfolio can sometimes seal a big deal, especially for large engineering firms that want to buy from a single supplier.
Caption: HP’s new 18-inch mobile workstation could make the 16-inch HP ZBook Fury G11 (pictured) look like a Chromebook in comparison
