HP is pushing its mobile workstations deeper into local AI with the ZBook Ultra G3a 16, a new AMD-powered machine designed to run large language models and AI agents directly on the device rather than sending every workload to the cloud.
The headline specification is memory. HP is offering the ZBook Ultra G3a with up to 192GB of unified memory, with as much as 160GB available to graphics. According to HP, that gives the workstation enough capacity to run LLMs containing up to 300 billion parameters locally, although real-world performance will inevitably depend on the model, configuration and workload.
At the top end, the laptop uses AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 platform, combining Radeon integrated graphics with an NPU rated at 55 TOPS. HP says the redesigned cooling system allows the machine to operate at up to 100W, compared with a maximum 55W TDP on the earlier ZBook Ultra G1a.
Those specifications make the ZBook interesting beyond the increasingly crowded category of “AI PCs.” Most laptops carrying that label have focused heavily on NPU acceleration for relatively lightweight AI features. HP is instead targeting architects, engineers, developers and other professionals who may have a practical reason to keep much larger models and sensitive datasets on their own hardware.
That local-first approach also underpins HP’s partnership with Perplexity. Perplexity Computer comes preloaded, while an MCP Connector for Autodesk Revit is intended to let users apply AI to project workflows without automatically moving proprietary project data into the cloud. Cloud models can still be brought into a workflow when required, making this more of a hybrid approach than an attempt to eliminate cloud AI altogether.
The ZBook Ultra G3a is also designed as a conventional workstation. HP lists support for applications including Autodesk Revit 2027, 3ds Max and Chaos Enscape, while optional HP Go connectivity adds 5G for working away from Wi-Fi. Despite the hardware, the 16-inch machine starts at 4.2 pounds and measures 17.9mm thick.
There are still important unknowns, particularly price and how quickly running extremely large local models will drain the battery or affect sustained performance. HP says the ZBook Ultra G3a 16 is expected to arrive in October 2026, with pricing to be announced closer to launch.
If HP can make its biggest local-AI claims practical outside controlled demonstrations, the more interesting story may be how quickly workstation laptops begin taking AI workloads back from the cloud.
