HP's keyboard computer is the maddest thing at CES, and I've used it

CES is a frantic time of year for laptop and computer brands the world over, and there’s no doubt that it can be a challenge to stand out. Often, it’s the smaller brands that step up with whackier ideas to try to grab some headlines, which made it quite a shock to me when a giant like HP was able to genuinely surprise me.

At CES, it’s launching an entirely new category of computer, and I saw it in person at a preview event in New York in early December. The Eliteboard G1a is a computer in a keyboard. There’s more to it, of course, but I think it’s worth stating it simply so that the central innovation on offer isn’t lost in the wind.

HP’s spokespeople told me that this idea had been percolating for quite some time, but that it was a matter of the tech being ready. I’m not sure exactly what it is about the latest generation of SoCs that has made it suitable to break new ground, but the time has clearly come, and the Eliteboard will launch early this year.

The key idea here was that most people want combination machines, like traditional all-in-ones. The issue there, though, is that an all-in-one locks you into one display for as long as you have the machine, an area where advances are pretty common. HP decided to flip the problem on its head, letting you source your own display and hiding the computer right on your desk, under your hands.

The Eliteboard basically looks and feels like a thicker keyboard than normal, but I suspect that you’d be able to hoodwink plenty of people on the street if you told them it was a normal keyboard. The main giveaways are that extra thickness, but also some venting at the rear and sides. The back vent is for its cooling, while the sides offer up stereo speakers.

The whole system runs from two USB-C ports with power delivery and display-out functionality, and the Eliteboard will come in two versions. One will have a fixed cable, while the other will be removable, opening up some light portability (if you have a portable display). That latter version will also have a built-in battery to ensure you don’t lose progress if you unplug it and move around, and should apparently last around 3.5 hours on a charge. Either way, the box will include a pre-paired Bluetooth mouse.

I was able to use the machine for a few minutes while moving around different demos, and, what do you know, it felt like any other PC. In fact, in use, there’s nothing all too exciting about it software-wise, since it’s intended to be an enterprise solution for situations needing mid-powered simplicity (like nurse’s stations, office booths and more).

Still, there’s no doubt that it was the most surprising thing HP showed me, in a year of incremental gains from new chips and small redesigns to existing laptop lines, and I can’t work out how I feel about it. On the one hand, I’m definitely impressed by the innovation it demonstrates, and I can imagine a host of situations where it could be a really handy new form factor.

On the other hand, mini PCs can already be really affordable, and external keyboards even more so, so whether they need to be bundled together isn’t clear. In a few years, I think we’ll either be impressed by how it’s carved out a market niche, or the Eliteboard will have disappeared without much fanfare.

The biggest variable on that front will probably be its pricing, which HP couldn’t tell me back in December. It should be available pretty soon to enterprise buyers, though, so you never know – your next job might see you rock up to a desk with just a suspiciously chunky keyboard on it and nothing else.