HP revives the RJ45 Ethernet port on select business laptops: ZBook 8 G1i 14 gets wired connectivity while EliteBook 8 G1a 14 skips it. A smart choice for IT.
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As the industry marches toward a wireless future, HP has quietly chosen a different path, bringing the RJ45 Ethernet port back to select business laptops—an interface many had already consigned to the past.
There was a time when no laptop went without it: up until the early 2000s, a cable was the only way online. Today, in the age of Wi‑Fi 7 and cloud services, most users barely remember what twisted pair looks like. HP’s engineers decided to refresh that memory.
In the ZBook 8 G1i 14 lineup, the Ethernet port has returned to the side of the chassis—even though just a year ago the EliteBook 845 G11 and ZBook Firefly G11 did fine without it. Curiously, the closely related EliteBook 8 G1a 14, built on the same platform, leaves the connector spot empty: there’s room for it, but no RJ45.
Why is HP rewinding the clock? For corporate customers, the reliability of a wired connection still carries real weight. In enterprise networks, stability and security come before fashion, and Ethernet remains a benchmark on both counts—an unglamorous choice that often proves the most practical.
It’s worth noting that HP’s move feels pragmatic: Wi‑Fi may be faster than ever, but a cable still steps in when a rock‑solid link is non‑negotiable. Sometimes, a step back is how you make two steps forward.