HP revamps its business laptops, but a shadow hangs over 2011

MAKER OF EXPENSIVE PRINTING INK HP has rolled out a number of impressive looking and newly designed business laptops, but they won't be enough to brighten a bleak outlook for 2011.

The company released a number of business notebooks across its Elitebook, Probook and Probook S series ranges. The laptops follow the firm's new 'forge' design framework, which has features like aluminium-alloy hinges and titanium-alloy display latches.

The notebooks, depending on the model, can have either quad core Intel Core i7 processors or dual core Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors. The cheaper option is an Intel Celeron processor.

The HP Elitebook 8460p and 8560p look like the most powerful and strongest of the notebooks, featuring military grade cases. Available with 14-inch and 15.6-inch displays, they are the only models that can feature the quad core Intel Core i7 processors.

The HP Probook 6360b, 6460b and 6560b are the next series down, available with 13.3-inch, 14-inch and 15.6-inch displays. The S series notebooks look to be the most affordable options, with a 14-inch Probook 4430s, 15.6-inch Probook 4530s and 17.3-inch Probook 4730s.

But new and improved laptops might not be enough to make 2011 a success for HP. A weakening PC market forced the company to cut its sales forecast and caused shares to plummet, Reuters reported. µ