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Weighing in at just 4.23 pounds, the 15.6-inch ZBook 15u ($1,199, £767, AU$1473) is one of the lighter workstations on the market. Although it still outweighs the Dell Precision M3800, it's much less expensive and much more attractive.
Built with an FHD screen and no-spindle drive, the ZBook 15u is meant to provide business users with the ability to get up and go without sacrificing all of the perks of a desktop workstation. It measures 0.84 inches thick x 14.78 inches wide x 9.98 inches tall. It isn't exactly something you'll want to hold in one hand, but it won't dislocate your shoulder when you sling your laptop bag on after a long meeting.
The Windows 8.1-enabled ZBook 15u comes with up to 1.25TB of storage and 16GB of memory with an Intel i5 processor on all standard models. It is ISV certified with AMD FirePro M4170 graphics. You'll never lack for inputs, as the 15u features four USB 3.0 ports, a DisplayPort 1.2, and a media card slot.
Users will love the removable back panel, which allows you to replace the external slice battery without having to purchase a toolkit.
There's not much to complain about with the 15u. You realize that you're sacrificing something for this unit when you spend more than $1000 less than you would with competitor models.
For example: the graphics won't be super high. The AMD FirePro M4170 was a mid-range graphics card earlier in the year, and it will likely move further down the list as the machine ages. Additionally, Intel i5 is solid, but most workstations come equipped with i7 processors. You can upgrade, but it will cost extra.
Although the machine is pretty to the touch and to the eye, you're not getting anything new here. You won't impress your friends with the traditional keyboard or touchpad. You can't flip or bend anything. The screen isn't touch-capable.
Early verdict
If you absolutely need a workstation but you don't want to break the bank, the ZBook 15u is an excellent compromise. It offers solid processing speeds with an Intel i5 processor, but the competition comes standard with i7. It offers decent graphics presentation with an AMD FirePro M4170 card, but this is middle-of-the-pack at best. What you're getting here is a lightweight workstation with a pretty design that your Chief Financial Officer will happily approve.
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