HP EliteBook Mobile Workstation 8560w - Core i7 2630QM / 2 GHz - Windows 7 Pro 64-bit - 4 GB RAM - 320 GB HDD - DVD SuperMulti DL - 15.6' Full HD WVA anti-glare 1920. Sep 24, 2011 HP's versatile EliteBook 8560w shows that a mobile workstation can be rugged and a solid performer and still look good.

• Pros Intel Core i7-2630QM processor and ISV-certified AMD graphics. Business-rugged construction. Touchpad is large and luxurious. Multiple options for connecting external displays. HP packs a battery of tools to manage and protect your laptop.

• Cons Pointing stick is stiff, lacks traction. Mediocre audio. • Bottom Line The HP EliteBook 8560w is the go-to workstation laptop when you need performance and power to spare.

It offers quad-core processing, ISV-certified graphics, and a laundry list of top-notch features. HP's newest mobile workstation, the HP EliteBook 8560w ($1,579 direct), proves that there's just no replacement for a fully featured workstation laptop. Plenty of professionals can get by with a standard business laptop, but engineers, architects, and digital artists quickly find that run-of-the-mill just doesn't cut it. Sometimes you need better, more powerful tools. The HP EliteBook 8560w is packed to the gills with powerful components like a quad-core processor, ISV-certified graphics, and everything you need to keep a system safe and secure, and it takes the top spot among mobile workstations as our new Editors' Choice.

Design The EliteBook 8560w has HP's DuraCase, a durable aluminum skin covering a magnesium alloy chassis, and featuring a smudge-resistant finish. The chiseled good looks of the gunmetal grey belie the fact that this system is built tough, meeting MIL-STD 810G standards for shock, vibration, temperature, and altitude—the only laptops with more durability are fully rugged systems like the ($5,612 direct, 3.5 stars). The EliteBook 8560w is also spill-resistant, complete with a drain in the bottom of the chassis to remove any potentially damaging liquids. The laptop measures 1.5 by 15 by 10.2 inches (HWD) and weighs 7.1 pounds—significantly thicker and heavier than a top-of-the-line consumer laptop like the ($1,799 direct, 4 stars), which weighs only 5.2 pounds and is 0.94 inch thick.

Compared with other mobile workstations, however, it's a featherweight—the Editors' Choice ($4240 direct, 4. Driver Asus P4sp-mx Windows 7. 5 stars) tipped the scales at nine pounds. The lid is covered with aluminum, with a hairline brushed finish radiating out in concentric circles from the blue-white glowing HP logo in the center of the lid. The lid is attached with a beefy-looking metal hinge that runs most of the laptop's length. The hinge holds the screen steady, with little to no flexing even when pressure is put on the lid. Just above the screen, HP includes a 720p webcam.

The 15.6-inch widescreen display is no joke either, with 1,920-by-1,080 resolution, LED backlighting, and a matte finish. The backlighting could be just a bit brighter, but it still offered lively colors, deep blacks, and crisp details. The accompanying SRS Premium Sound produces passable audio, but when I turned up the speakers to enjoy some Jimi Hendrix, the sound thinned out at high volume.