HP is getting in on the action with its refreshed Elite x2 1012 G2 convertible tablet. Not to be confused with the recently announced – but similar – HP Pro x2 612, the Elite x2 is a bit more powerful with a non-fanless design.
The focus of the Elite x2 is collaboration. Skype Business calls take up a significant portion of the enterprise life for many folks, so front-facing speakers tuned for calls, an excellent 5MP video camera, and a robust chassis are all necessary.
If you take the highly-praised HP EliteBook x360 and turn it into a 2-in-1 tablet, you get the new Elite x2. That's not a precise analogy, but you get the point.
With the Elite x2 1012 G2 refresh, HP is dropping in a newer, seventh-generation "Kaby Lake" U-series Intel processor commonly found in high-end Ultrabooks. Ranging from Core i3 to Core i7, the processors deliver power, performance, and extended battery life with the 47 Whr battery.
For a display, the Elite x2 packs a 12.3-inch diagonal, WQXGA (2736 x 1824) screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 directly bonded. That screen size is an increase from the previous 12-inch version and is achieved by reducing the surrounding bezel width.
Other modern perks include USB Type-C with full Thunderbolt 3 support and HP Fast Charge (with reported 50 percent charge in 30 minutes).
HP Elite x2 1012 G2 tech specs
| Category | HP Elite x2 1012 G2 |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i7-7600UIntel Core i5-7300UIntel Core i5-7200UIntel Core i3-7100U |
| Internal storage | Up to 512 GB M.2 SATAUp to 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe |
| RAM | 16GBLPDDR3-1866 SDRAM |
| Display | 12.3-inch diagonal WQXGA+ (2736 x 1824) direct bonded with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 ultra-slim LED |
| Graphics | Intel HD 620 |
| Windows Hello | Fingerprint reader (optional) | IR facial recognition |
| Ports | USB 3.1 Type-C (docking, charging and data transfer)One USB 3.0One microSDOne SIMOne headphone and microphone combo |
| Input Device | HP Collaboration Keyboard (optional);HP Advanced Keyboard with SCR (select models); Click pad with multi-touch gestures; HP Active Pen with Application Launch Button with Wacom technology |
| Communications | HP Module with NXP NFC Controller |
| Expansion Slots | One microSDOne smart card reader (Supports SD, SDHC, SDXC) |
| Wireless | Intel dual-band wireless-AC 8265 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2 x 2) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 Combo (vPro and non-vPro)HP hs3210 WW HSPA+Mobile BroadbandHP lt4132 LTE/HSPA+ 4G Mobile BroadbandHP lt4120 LTE/EV-DO/HSPA+ Gobi 4G Mobile Broadband |
| Camera | 5 MP FHD 1080p front-facing webcam with LED indicator8 MP FHD 1080p rear-facing webcam with flash LED |
| Sensors | AccelerometerMagnetometerGyro (Combo chip) (tablet)Proximity (SAR for WWAN) (tablet)Ambient light sensor |
| Battery | 47 WHrHP Fast Charge |
| Weight | Starting at 1.77 lbs (tablet); Starting at 2.55 lbs (tablet with travel keyboard); Starting at 2.94 lbs (tablet with advanced keyboard) |
Windows Hello is also supported, with a dual IR lens for facial recognition and a fingerprint reader on the back of the tablet.
Like all Surface-esque 2-in-1s, the Elite x2 has a magnetic keyboard attachment that features HP's new Collaboration function key layout. The all-metal keyboard deck is a change from the more common cloth-type we have seen.
Rounding things out are Bang & Olufsen front-facing speakers, a Wacom digitizer and pen, up to 512GB PCIe NVMe solid state drive (SSD), and 16GB of RAM. There is also a microSD card slot, LTE 4G support, and USB Type-A for legacy use scenarios.
With high-reparability and MIL-SPEC testing, the Elite x2 continues the tradition of well-designed and finely-tuned enterprise machines from HP. HP's security bundle, with HP SureStart Gen3 BIOS protection, is also included, making these ideal devices for IT management.
The HP Elite x2 will be available later in July starting at $1,099 in the US. Pricing outside of the US may vary.
