HP announced the EliteBoard G1a, a Windows 11 PC integrated into a functioning membrane keyboard, positioning it as a more accessible alternative to existing keyboard-based computers. The EliteBoard G1a harkens back to the Commodore 64, which popularized the keyboard-PC concept in the 1980s, but enters a market more recently shaped by the Raspberry Pi.

Raspberry Pi's influence in the keyboard-PC space began with the 2019 release of the Raspberry Pi 400, which housed a Raspberry Pi 4 single-board computer (SBC) within a keyboard case. This offered users USB, HDMI, and Ethernet ports, along with a GPIO header and the Raspberry Pi OS Linux distribution, creating a low-end desktop experience for approximately $100. The company later released the Pi 500, powered by a quad-core, 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 processor, and featuring NVMe SSD storage instead of microSD, built into a low-profile mechanical keyboard, though at a higher price point of $200.

While Raspberry Pi has carved a niche, its products primarily appeal to hobbyists, DIY enthusiasts, and Linux users. HP's EliteBoard G1a aims to broaden the appeal of keyboard-based PCs by offering a Windows 11 environment, potentially attracting a wider audience seeking a simplified and integrated computing solution. Further details regarding the EliteBoard G1a's specifications, pricing, and availability are expected to be released in the coming weeks.