HP continues its relentless pursuit of the corporate market, with the recent unveiling of the unique and tough Elite x2 1012 2-in-1 mobile computer to Philippine business customers, the primary target market of the device.
The first thing you’ll notice with the Elite X2 is the integrated aluminum kickstand, and a keyboard that magnetically pops off. There are two keyboards to choose from, the HP Travel Keyboard (basic configuration) and the HP Advanced Keyboard with NFC and Smart Card.
The computer is unique because if you damage the touchscreen or the kickstand, you can easily replace them at home or office once you have the replacement parts already. For instance, there are only two screws to remove and replace a broken kickstand. Other serviceable components include WLAN, WWAN, storage, system board, and battery. The replacement peripherals need to be ordered from HP though.
The Elite x2 is tough because it is designed to pass MIL-STD 810G testing, resulting in a thin and light powerhouse that can withstand humidity, high temperature, temperature shock, drops, vibration, and altitude.
As for the operating system, the device is available in three Windows variants: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit, Windows 10 Home 64-bit, and Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit.
It’s powered by Intel’s Core M processor based on the Skylake architecture. Because of the fanless Core M processor, the Elite x2 generates low heat and makes less noise. Among the features of the Core M processor is that it enables hardware manufacturers to make thin devices. Thus, the Elite x2 is just 8.05 millimeters thick and offers 10 hours of battery life.
The computer’s 12-inch screen has a 2:3 aspect ratio 1920×1280 and is skinned in Corning Gorilla Glass 4. There is, of course, pen support, using a Wacom pen with 2,048 pressure levels. The pen’s application launch button lets you call up your favorite note taking application at a moment’s notice.
The tablet is also loaded with ports, including the USB-C port, which supports the Thunderbolt 3 protocol. Other ports include USB-A 3.0, 3.5mm combo headset/mic, and microSD. It also has a SIM slot for mobile broadband; so in areas where there is no Wi-Fi you can still connect to the Internet using your mobile broadband subscription.
For audio freaks, the laptop has dual stereo speakers with audio by Bang & Olufsen.
For system administrators, the device can be remotely tracked and locked down in case of theft.
Security solutions include HP SureStart, data & identity protection, and HP Touchpoint Manager, which enables remote checking of the Elite x2’s storage, memory and OS conditions.
The Elite x2 1012’s base price is around Php65,000 and comes with 128GB of storage, 4GB of memory, a full high-definition screen, 802.11ac, a detachable travel keyboard and Wacom digital pen. The tablet can be upgraded to 512GB of storage and 8GB of memory.