- HP’s new workstation carries 192GB of memory for demanding local AI workloads
- The ZBook Ultra G3a can reportedly handle models reaching 300 billion parameters
- The workstation combines a 96Wh replaceable battery with an 180W adapter
HP has debuted the ZBook Ultra G3a 16, a workstation built around AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 processor and substantial unified memory.
The laptop combines up to 192GB of LPDDR5X memory with integrated Radeon graphics and support for demanding local AI workloads.
HP says the highest-memory configuration can run large language models with up to 300 billion parameters directly on the laptop.
HP brings a high-memory workstation to market
The ZBook Ultra G3a uses 16 processor cores and 32 threads, with clock speeds reaching 5.2GHz and an integrated neural processor.
Its 192GB memory pool can allocate up to 160GB toward the Radeon 8065S graphics processor, leaving substantial capacity for system tasks, and will allow users to load models that exceed the graphics memory available on many conventional notebooks with discrete GPUs.
AI workloads are handled by a 55 TOPS neural processing unit, adding dedicated hardware alongside its integrated graphics processor.
The storage of this device reaches 8TB through a single PCIe Gen5 x4 slot, although there are other models with lower capacities.
This workstation sustains power up to 100W, nearly twice the 55W figure from its earlier model.
It is equipped with a 96Wh replaceable battery which can last up to 14 hours, and its 180W adapter can reach 50% charge within 30 minutes.
The ZBook Ultra G3a 16 uses a dual-fan cooling system with copper heat pipes, and a shared heat spreader covering the processor and memory components.
Pricing and workstation specifications
The official price of this device has not been released; however, the price estimate using HP’s Local AI Value Calculator shows that the Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 model with 192GB memory and 512GB storage costs $7,449.
A 128GB version using the same processor costs $5,999, while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 490 configuration with 64GB costs $3,899.
“Professionals need AI experiences that are powerful, reliable, and integrated into the way they work,” said Jim Nottingham, senior vice president at HP.
HP is actually promoting the workstation through its calculator that estimates potential costs when AI workloads move from cloud services onto local hardware.
The company’s calculation assumes roughly 6.3 million tokens daily under its heavy workload profile and models electricity use from continuous operation.
Independent testing remains necessary to establish how the ZBook Ultra G3a performs when handling large models under sustained workloads.
The highest-priced configuration uses an FHD display, despite HP offering higher-resolution IPS, OLED, and DreamColor display choices for buyers.
The workstation measures 17.9mm thick and starts at 4.2 pounds, despite carrying a larger cooling system and 16-inch display.
Display options include a 3840 × 2400 IPS panel, a 2.8K OLED touchscreen, a 2.5K panel, and a lower power WUXGA configuration.
For connectivity, this laptop includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB-C, USB-A, HDMI 2.1, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and optional 5G networking support.
It supports Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 Home, FreeDOS, and Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, giving professional users several software environment choices.
