HP has debuted what it’s claiming to be the thinnest laptop business computer yet, and the race (ignited by Apple’s MacBook Air laptop) to build feature-rich, but slimmer than ever mobile PCs, continues to rage on.
The HP ProBook 5310m, according to HP, is the world’s “thinnest full-performance notebook,” weighing in at 3.7 pounds and is 0.9 inches at its thickest point, according to an HP press statement.
The computer maker has also debuted an entire new product line, the ENVY, also built on the “thin” laptop approach but being marketed as the “fastest consumer laptop,” according to a press statement.
The gist is this: thin is in obviously.
Heck, let’s face it, thin has never been out of style, whether we’re talking body style or computing. When it comes to computers, thin is usually a good thing. Less to carry, less space on a desk, easier to pack and easier on the knees. The big question, though, is whether thinness (and heft when it comes to toting laptops through airport security and on subways) is really a big consumer requirement.
As HP’s press statement notes, one leading research firm claims thin laptops is a category that will triple in growth compared to the typical notebook product market.
For me, however, I have my doubts. Light is good, don’t get me wrong. I’ve still got a few laptops in the back of the closet that nearly require two people to carry more than 10 feet.
But this thin laptop movement reminds me of when a major bread maker came out with “thin” bread way back when. And, yes, It’s still out there, and I shake my head at why people would want it. I mean, it rips apart when you try to make a PB&J and just a little spilled pickle juice can dissolve a thin slice of bread in seconds. There’s a reason bread needs a little heft to it, and the same is true with laptops in my humble opinion.
Photo courtesy of HP