This HP EliteBook 8440w will be powered by Intel's Core i5 or Core i7 processors, 14.0-inch diagonal LED-backlit display, 512 MB NVIDIA Quadro FX 380M graphics Up to 8GB RAM, a non mandatory HDD or SSD, a DVD burner or Blu-ray Drive, WiFi, Bluetooth, eSATA and Windows seven OS.

Design
The 8440w continues in the same classy convention as other EliteBooks : the lid and palm rest are made from anodized aluminum, and the keyboard area is a matte black plastic. Distinguishing Workstation line from other EliteBooks, the metal on the 8440w and its ilk are dark gunmetal grey, vs. the brighter platinum finish on the EliteBook 8440p.

We really like the 8440w's look; it has a stylish yet a touch menacing feel, which is something that you need in a mobile workstation. This thing claims, I mean business.

At 5.6 pounds ( 5.4 pounds with a 6-cell battery ), the 8440w is not as movable as the spate of ULV systems appearing nowadays, but neither is it as heavy or chunky as such mobile monsters as the Lenovo ThinkPad W700, or even the EliteBook 8730w.
As with its performance, the 8440w's design is a pleasant compromise of the 2 extremes. Above the keyboard are a selected few touch-enabled controls. From the left: HP's QuickLook three, internet browser launch, wireless, touchpad, mute, and volume controls. At the bottom right of the keyboard deck is a non mandatory fingerprint reader.

Keyboard and Touchpad
Since its prior EliteBooks, HP modified the key design a little ; no longer are the keys the normal, chamfered style, nor are they chiclet-shaped. Rather, they are a mix of the 2 : while adjoining each other at their base, the keys tier up in a terraced fashion.

We found the layout to be cushty to type on and reasonably quiet. The keyboard boasts HP's DuraKeys, which help stop wear over the long run. Like Lenovo, HP offers both a pointing stick and touchpad. But HP's is concave instead of convex. The slight depression is structured to help secure your finger, but we found ours slipping a bit more than on Lenovo's.

The 1.4 x 2.8-inch touchpad is a little squashedwe had to backtrack a bit while scrolling down pages. On the positive side, it offered little resistance, in contrast to the glossy touchpads found on the Mini 5102 and the Pavilion lines.