HP EliteBook generations compared for resellers

Read the G number first

HP names its business laptops by series and generation: an EliteBook 840 G8 is the eighth generation of the 14-inch 840. The G number does not match the Intel generation, so it pays to keep the mapping in your head. For the 840 and the 850, the G5 and G6 carry 8th Gen Intel Core processors, the G7 carries 10th Gen, the G8 carries 11th Gen, and the 840 G9 carries 12th Gen. The x360 1040 follows the same pattern from its G5 to its G9.

Every machine in this range has an Intel processor of 8th Gen or later, which is where Microsoft drew the line for Windows 11 support, and business models of this era carry the TPM 2.0 chip that Windows 11 requires. With support for Windows 10 having ended in October 2025, that is the biggest single reason this era sells: a buyer can run a supported version of Windows on all of it.

Note where the lines end. The 850 stops at the G8, because HP replaced it with the 16-inch EliteBook 860 from the G9 generation, so there is no 850 G9 to look for. The 840 and the x360 1040 carry on.

EliteBook 840: the volume model

The 14-inch 840 is the machine most businesses bought, which makes it the model you will see most often in lots and the one your customers will ask for by name. From the G5 to the G9 its memory sits in two SODIMM slots, so an 8GB unit is a quick and inexpensive upgrade.

Between the G7 and the G8 the big change is graphics. The 11th Gen processors bring Intel Iris Xe graphics, which handle video calls, extra screens and light creative work noticeably better than the UHD graphics of 8th and 10th Gen. One catch: Iris Xe only runs as Iris Xe with memory in both slots. A G8 with a single module reports UHD graphics, so fitting a matched pair is worth doing before you sell.

The G9 changes two more things. It moves to DDR5 memory, so the DDR4 modules you stock for the G5 to G8 will not fit it, and DDR5 costs more. It also moves to a taller 16:10 screen. With the 12th Gen processor's mix of performance and efficiency cores, the G9 is a genuine step up and should be priced as one.

EliteBook 850: the bigger screen

The 850 is the 15.6-inch version of the same design, with the same processor generation as the 840 of the same G number. It suits customers who work in spreadsheets all day or simply want a larger screen, and it tends to sell to offices and home workers rather than to people who travel.

Its memory is socketed in two SODIMM slots, as on the 840. The practical differences are size and weight: the 850 is heavier and bulkier, which costs a little more to post on to your own customers and takes more shelf space. Price it against the 840 of the same generation rather than against older 15-inch machines, because buyers compare specifications first and screen size second.

EliteBook x360 1040: the premium convertible

The x360 1040 is a 14-inch convertible with a 360-degree hinge, a touch screen and support for HP's active pen. It was the executive machine in many fleets, and in good condition it sells at a clear premium over the 840.

Two checks matter more here than on any other model in this guide. First, the memory is soldered to the board, so the figure on the sheet is fixed for the life of the machine: if your customers want 16GB, buy the 16GB units. Second, the hinge and the touch screen are the parts that wear and the parts that cost most to replace, so look for hinge and screen notes on the spreadsheet and price grade C units with that in mind.

The 1040 G8 with an 11th Gen processor and 16GB is a particularly easy sell. It pairs Iris Xe graphics with enough memory for most office users, in a build that customers notice when they pick it up.

ZBook Firefly: the thin workstation

The ZBook Firefly 14 is HP's light mobile workstation. It shares a great deal with the EliteBook 840 of its generation but adds workstation options, most usefully an entry-level NVIDIA professional graphics card: the Quadro P520 on the G7 and the T500 on the G8. Not every unit has one, so check the Graphics column on the sheet before you price the lot.

A Firefly with dedicated graphics sells to a different customer: CAD users, engineers, architects and students on design courses, who pay more for certified graphics. A Firefly without it is, for resale purposes, a well-built EliteBook with a workstation badge, and is better priced close to an 840 of the same generation.

Workstation buyers ask about memory first. Check how much each unit carries, and before you promise anyone an upgrade, confirm the configuration in HP's documentation for that exact generation, because the memory layout is not the same across every Firefly.

Matching the model to your buyer

For steady sales to small businesses and home users, the 840 G7 and G8 are the safest choice: recognised by name, upgradeable, supported by Windows 11 and priced where most buyers are. For budget stock, the G5 and G6 still run Windows 11 and suit education, charity and export buyers.

For premium listings, choose the x360 1040 G8 in grade A or B with 16GB. For design and engineering customers, look for Firefly units that list a dedicated graphics card. Whichever you choose, check the Keyboard column against the market you sell into, and price from the spreadsheet rather than from the model name on the lot.