Banish any memories of Ferrari’s 2004 venture into laptops. Coinciding with the Monaco Grand Prix, and with HP in tow, Ferrari is charging at the world of laptops again with a product that has an eye-watering, Tifosi–baiting price of $5,599.
The HP Scuderia Ferrari AI PC is a limited-run notebook that’s the result of two years of collaboration between the PC maker and iconic car company. The laptop is unapologetically design- and engineering-centered, as you might expect, with premium materials and finishes, all backed by the reliability and technical assurance that should be typical of HP’s laptops.
When I got to check out a prototype laptop in Ferrari’s London showroom, the vivid red finish was mesmerizing. The companies have tried to capture the Rosso Magma sheen of Ferrari’s Icona Daytona SP3 — and other car models I’m less familiar with. The color effect is meant to add depth to the eye-catching finish and the palm rest has a special lenticular finish, meant to convey motion blur.
Mat Smith for Engadget
Most of the Scuderia laptop is made of anodized aluminum with a CNC-machined finish, but if you flip it over, the base is covered in a supercar-like carbon fiber. There’s also a transparent segment, dubbed the “engine bay”, where you can see the laptop’s processor and cooling system. You’ll also make out the laser-etched number indicating which of the limited 5,000-unit run you’re looking at, as well as a few Easter eggs for Ferrari obsessives. The panel is made of Gorilla Glass, with 2,000 individually drilled holes adding further texture and visual interest.
Even the hinge draws from Ferrari design — specifically, its F76 digital hypercar. The concentric louvers across the hinge are crafted to help channel airflow and keep things cool. Several stylistic choices are centered around Ferrari’s motto of “eyes on the road”; focusing on the primary experience of the user (or driver). One example of this is how, when the laptop is open, the trackpad is all but invisible, signposted by a slender lit-up line just below the keyboard.
Mat Smith for Engadget
While the laptop’s specs aren’t an afterthought, it certainly isn’t a gaming powerhouse, either. Those familiar with HP’s Zbooks will find the specs here familiar. The Scuderia Ferrari Notebook runs on an Intel Core Ultra X7 processor, with integrated Intel Arc graphics, 64GB of memory and a 1TB SSD. The 14-inch 3K OLED screen supports touch input, while the keyboard features an RGB light for each key (in Ferrari’s typeface). Those are customizable and there are a handful of preprogrammed light-up cycles if you’re feeling flashy (which, if you own this PC, you are into flashy). It’s certainly the most glamorous AI PC I’ve seen so far. It’s not underserved on connectivity options either, with two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-C 10Gbps port, a USB-A port and HDMI and headphone jacks.
Mat Smith for Engadget
The Scuderia Ferrari will be available for purchase in only a handful of countries, including the US, the UK, Italy, Japan and a few others. Like Ferrari’s most desirable cars, the limited run comes with a heady price: $5,599. Diehard Ferrari (or HP) fans will get their rare laptop wrapped in a classy box, with a USB charger and a slick Poltrona Frau leather sleeve included. Naturally, it’s the same leather used in Ferrari car interiors and is almost as desirable as the laptop itself. It will go on sale later this month on June 12.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
