CES 2026: There’s a Whole Windows PC in This HP Keyboard
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If you’re like me, you spend 90% of your time using your laptop with a docking station and connection to a monitor (or two). And if you’re at this point, you might be wondering why you bother having a display connected to your computer. If so, HP has your back. Announced at this year’s CES, the HP Eliteboard G1a looks like a normal keyboard on the outside, but inside it houses a full Windows PC.
It’s not exactly a new concept, but with the experimental days of Windows XP behind us, it’s mostly reserved for less powerful Linux-based single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi. It’s great if you’re a hacker or tinkerer, but not if you’re just looking for a screenless, keyboard-equipped mini PC to get you through your workday.
The Eliteboard G1a, instead, is equipped with the latest AMD Ryzen AI chips, up to 64 GB of RAM and up to 2 TB of storage. So while you shouldn’t expect to play the latest and greatest games, for internet browsers and lightweight productivity programs it really should be able to hold its own.
Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt
It’s also a bit of a dormant construction. I got to use it, and to all outside eyes it really does look like a regular desktop keyboard, with low-profile black chiclet keys, a function row, and a numeric keypad. Ranging from 1.5 to 1.7 pounds depending on how you specify it, it’s also quite light, and the right person might believe you if you said it was just a keyboard, without any computer inside.
The trap? This baby is aimed at enterprise customers rather than your typical consumer. This comes with a few goodies, like a Kensington lock slot, additional security software, and an optional fingerprint reader. But that also means you won’t find it on sale anywhere other than the HP store, and while pricing hasn’t been announced yet, it will likely be a bit more expensive if purchased individually rather than as part of a desktop fleet. It can also only connect to monitors that use DisplayPort, which is great if you’re an office manager who knows how to buy displays that will work with it, but may not fit in everyone’s home setup.
What do you think of it so far?
It’s a shame, because I like unusual form factors, and this keyboard PC could make a really neat desktop in my home office. It’s powerful enough, uses a familiar operating system with broad app compatibility, and can even stream to two 4K monitors simultaneously. There are also two versions, one that always needs to be plugged in and one with a battery and detachable USB power cable for quickly moving between different workstations. This is great flexibility, since the battery version is a bit more portable, but also heavier.
I hope this is just a first experience for HP, as I would like to purchase a consumer version of this laptop at some point in the future. If you’re ready to take the plunge into the enterprise model, HP says it should launch on HP.com sometime in March.
