A PC in a keyboard? HP’s CES 2026 kicks off with an interesting twist

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As a child of the 1980s, I’m used to the idea of everything you need for your everyday computing – apart from the screen – being built into one unit. But these days, retro revivals aside, the idea has largely been shelved. HP has other ideas, however, choosing to release one as part of its big CES 2026 unveiling this year.

The HP Eliteboard G1a is a lot more elegant and more powerful than the likes of the VIC 20, Commodore 64 and Atari ST. But philosophically speaking, it’s the same thing, because beneath the keys of its QWERTY keyboard and numeric touchpad lies a fully functional computer.

Simply connect it via its single USB-C port to a monitor of your choosing (or monitors – its 860M integrated Nvidia GPU can drive 4x 4k screens at 60Hz) , plug it into the mains, press the power button, and away you go.

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There’s no need for a separate box containing the CPU, RAM storage and motherboard; everything is completely self-contained, apart from the bundled Bluetooth mouse and perhaps a webcam for video calls. It’s pretty light, too: at a featherweight 676g, it could make for a great alternative to a laptop for people who have a desktop at work with a monitor and the same setup at home.

As for power, that’s provided by an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 PRO and you can have it with up to 64GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage, so it’s no lightweight. It has two USB connections on the rear and even incorporates a pair of speakers and microphones. Despite all the sensitive componentry inside, the keyboard has been designed to be spill-proof and is MIL-STD-810H rated for durability. 

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Alas, unlike the classic computers of yesteryear, the HP is not a consumer device, and it isn’t aimed at bedroom warriors, though I’d imagine it would cope just fine running with a session or two of Daley Thompson’s Decathlon.

It’s aimed, instead, at businesses looking to cut the cable clutter in minimalist offices. However, I rather like the idea of these machines becoming a bit more widespread. It seems the perfect way to create a simple, yet elegant, desktop setup at home.

The HP Eliteboard G1a is expected to be available from March 2026, but no pricing details have yet been revealed.

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Written By

Jonathan Bray

Head of reviews at Expert Reviews, Jon has been testing and writing about products since before most of you were born (well, only if you were born after 1996). In that time he’s tested and reviewed hundreds of laptops, PCs, smartphones, vacuum cleaners, coffee machines, doorbells, cameras and more. He’s worked on websites since the early days of tech, writing game reviews for AOL and hardware reviews for PC Pro, Computer Buyer and other print publications. He’s also had work published in Trusted Reviews, Computing Which? and The Observer. And yet, even after so many years in the industry, there’s still nothing more he loves than getting to grips with a new product and putting it through its paces.

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