HP ELITE X2 Designed for business, built to last

HP Elite X2 is a stylish and powerful tablet with top-notch performance

LAPTOPS are no longer selling like before. A lot of people think all they need is a small little smartphone for most of their computing needs. This is why computer makers are now trying to woo them with 2-in-1s, or tablets with detachable keyboards.

The HP Elite X2 is a take on the 2-in-1 that will remind you a lot of Microsoft’s own Surface tablets. This too has a pull put stand at the rear, a thin keyboard with a fabric base and a pen that looks like it’s been to the same school as the Surface Pen. But it is as stylish and maybe a bit more suave considering it is coming from HP.

What is good?

I love the design of the HP Elite X2—not to be confused with a laptop of the same name from the same company. It is practical and it is stylish. At first sight it looks like a tablet with a cover protecting the screen, but it is much more.

The keyboard might be thin and slick, but it is also one on which you can write easily thanks to the spacing between the keyboards and the backlight that guides you in the dark. There is the option to let the keyboard lie flat down on the surface or be in a slightly angled mode. This is small, but will make a world of difference for many users.

The screen is bright and very responsive to touch. Also, with the pen it becomes a great note-taking device like most other Windows 10 devices with a touchscreen. This is one area where Microsoft has a clear advantage: no one does handwriting recognition better.

The HP Elite X2 is powered by a new Intel Core M processor which has been designed for just these kinds of devices. So it is able to take on most tasks very well. I tried doing different things on multiple desktops and they all worked really well. No stalling, no stutter. This is certainly among the more powerful Windows 2-in-1s I have used.

One big advantage this tablet has over something like the Surface Book is the fact that it comes with a SIM slot. This makes the HP Elite X2 much more practical than a lot of its competition.

What is not that good?

I noticed a bit of heating on the tablet with certain functions, especially when it was downloading something from the Internet. This can be an irritant at times and lead to quick battery drain. That said, the HP Elite X2 offers only about five hours of battery on a full charge. You can get more out of this device if you are not online.

Though HP proudly showcases the Bang & Olufsen branding, the speakers are not the best I have heard in tablets. Somehow, the detachable tablets don’t give me the confidence that they will be working as one piece a couple of years down the line. Though the HP one is surely among the better ones I have seen, there is a still a fear at the back of my mind that the keyboard attachment will conk off with many months of rough use.

SPECIFICATIONS

Should you buy?

Yes, if you are looking for a good portable Windows 10 device, then the HP Elite X2 is certainly right there up on top. I think the Surface Pro 4 is a good device, but way too expensive for the Indian market. Now, the X2 also seems to have fallen into the same trap. Can’t great Windows 10 devices be made available at reasonable price points? That seems to be the challenge, Microsoft is faced with now. This HP device has a good chance of becoming popular among the computing elite. It helps that this is a stylish and powerful device that will not underwhelm you in any way.

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