HP launches ProBook range with AMD A-Series APUs

New business laptops to benefit from enhanced graphics with AMD's Fusion chips

HP is one of the first vendors to unveil systems based on AMD's new A-Series APUs, amied at delivering enhanced performance for business users on the move.

In the UK, the systems consist of additions to HP's ProBook b-series and ProBook s-series, bearing AMD's Vision Pro branding and Radeon Dual Graphics in the ProBook s-series.

The ProBook 6465b comes with a 14in LED-backlit HD screen with anti-glare and a resolution of 1,366x768. Prices start at £490 + VAT.

HP ships the laptop with an AMD quad-core A6-3410MX 1.6GHz processor or a quad-core A4-3310MX 2.1GHz chipset together with graphics cards.

Customers can choose up to 128GB of SSD, 320GB of SED or 500GB of HDD storage. A spill resistant keyboard, three USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA/USB 2.0 combined input and an Express Card slot are also included.

Additional features include a memory card reader, DisplayPort and VGA connectors, and a six-cell or nine-cell battery to get maximum run time on the move. The ProBook 6465b can be connected to an HP 90W or 120W docking station for hotdesking.

Meanwhile, the 15.6in ProBook 4535s is not set to ship until August. It is based on the Quad-Core A6-3400M APU, and can be optionally configured with dual graphics for videoconferencing and graphics-intensive applications.

It can be fitted with up to 8GB memory and supports similar drive options, with hard drives up to 750GB and a removable Blu-ray or DVD-RW drive. Prices will start at £375 + VAT.

Both ProBook models are available with optional 3G broadband as well as Wi-Fi. Buyers can choose from Windows 7 Professional or Home Premium, or Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop 11.

HP is also gearing up to release its first tablet, which will run on the webOS platform. The 9.7in HP TouchPad will come with a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and HP will ship a 16GB model starting at £399 and a 32GB unit at £479.

HP is currently the number one PC manufacturer with shipments of 15.3 million units at the start of the year, but sales of traditional computing equipment are on the decline.

The company will be hoping that the TouchPad is able to secure a share in the lucrative and ever expanding tablet market.