Designing a Windows laptop-tablet hybrid could be a terribly tough task. Not solely area unit you making an attempt to form one pc that’s each a superb pill and an outstanding laptop computer, once the requisite style components for one will contend with and contradict those for the opposite, you have got to do and set it except for the multitude of competitory Windows hybrids too.
The HP Elite x2 1011 G1 might look very like the other clastic Windows hybrid initially look, however it's many options that set it except for most of the opposite hybrids that we’ve seen.
Biometric security like fingerprint scanners area unit nothing new on Windows laptops, having been gift on some business models for many years currently. It’s received new impetus although with support designed into Windows ten and revived shopper quality following its inclusion in mobile devices like the iPhone.
The fingerprint scanner designed into the HP Elite x2 1011 G1 worked cleanly in our tests. when setting it up, we have a tendency to were ready to log into Windows just by swiping a finger across the little pad. It worked quickly with few failing makes an attempt. HP has nonetheless to reply to our queries regarding however the pc stores your fingerprint knowledge - we’ll update this review if they are doing.
A smartcard slot is additionally gift, therefore you'll be able to use smartcards as a method of authentication if your business uses them. Computrace package designed into the computer’s EFI means that your IT administrator ought to still be ready to remotely track, wipe and lock the hybrid if it’s taken or lost.
HP’s enclosed security package will encipher the whole 256GB SSD. you'll be able to save a recovery key either to AN external USB drive or to your OneDrive storage, therefore you'll be able to still access your knowledge just in case you ever forget your secret. Obviously, you’ll need to stay that USB drive {in a|during a|in an exceedingly|in a terribly} very safe place - particularly if you can’t use the OneDrive different if your business feels ill regarding potential compliance or security problems concerning the cloud.
Another handy storage security feature is that the ability to want a fingerprint or secret before a user will copy files to and from USB sticks and laborious disks. this may facilitate forestall knowledge leaks by dissatisfied staff, though the shortage of AN activity log for this feature can queer particularly paranoid system directors. Oddly, there’s no Kensington security cable slot.
Usefully, a 4G electronic equipment is made into the pill. The small SIM slot is found next to the small Mount Rushmore State slot beneath a flap on the rear of the pill. The x2 1011 G1 not solely encompasses a dedicated socket for connecting port replicators, however additionally has the new high speed WiGig short vary wireless technology for connecting wireless port replicators. this could be a boon for quickly and simply connecting to a table packed with peripherals while not twiddling with any cables, however WiGig docks and port replicators aren’t nonetheless wide on the market.
One productivity further that undoubtedly falls flat is that the pre-installed HP PageLift app that converts photos of documents into black and white PDFs for archiving and sharing. It doesn’t perform any variety of OCR although, doesn’t handle multipage documents and depends on different apps for expansion and highlight. It’s therefore no match for similar, however a lot of|much more|way more} refined apps with more options like Microsoft workplace Lens and Readdle Scanner professional half dozen - neither of that area unit on the market for Windows.
HP Elite x2 1011 G1: keyboard and touchpad
The keyboard dock element of the HP Elite x2 1011 G1 has one amongst the foremost comfy laptop computer keyboards we’ve utilized in a protracted time. the massive backlit keys have many travel and feedback, therefore typewriting is each quick and extremely comfy.
The touchpad isn’t quite nearly as good. The x2 1011 G1 is that the initial Windows laptop computer to possess a touchpad that’s pressure-sensitive, like the Force bit feature on Apple’s 12in membrane MacBook. It’s so much less formidable that Apple’s Force bit touchpad although. you'll be able to set what quantity pressure must be applied to the touchpad before it'll recognise a button press. That’s the extent of its pressure sensitivity.
It’s much better than the touchpads on nearly each different Windows laptop computer we’ve seen, with swish, correct trailing, however there’s still space for improvement. Gestures like swiping with 2 fingers to scroll or swiping with 3 fingers to travel back and forth between web content worked fairly well, however had some tiny however annoying issues. Momentum once scrolling was somewhat off and therefore the touchpad typically didn't devour our finger swipes, requiring a second try.
HP Elite x2 1011 G1: build quality and weight
Although solely the keyboard dock is created out of metal, with the clastic pill created out of metal-effect plastic instead, everything withal felt durable and superior. once docked and used as a laptop computer, the HP Elite x2 one011 G1 weighs a light-weight 1.5kg. The pill alone weighs 800g.
800g could be a very little serious, even for a pill with a eleven.6in screen, however it doesn’t feel too awkward within the hand due to its equally distributed weight and tapered edges. It’s still not our initial alternative for extended hand-held use over long periods and it’s undoubtedly a two-handed job, however this pill would neutralise a pinch.
The tying up mechanism firmly holds the pill in situ once docked with the keyboard. Lining them up for tying up was ne'er too tough or fiddly and detaching the 2 is easy - simply press the button on the hinge and yank the pill out.
The x2 one011 G1 comes equipped with 8GB of memory and a 1.1GHz Intel Core M 5Y51 processor. though the processor will turbo boost to two.6GHz, it’s designed with energy potency instead of sheer speed in mind. this suggests that whereas it’s quite ok for everyday workplace tasks, it’s slower than most Haswell and Broadwell Core i3 chips therefore it’s not compatible for a lot of hard to please jobs like written material RAW pictures or 4K video.
The Core M processor’s energy potency and the try of huge batteries within the pill and therefore the keyboard dock mean that battery life is usually drawn-out. The pill lasted thirteen hours and nineteen minutes in our lightweight usage check, with the dock adding an extra eight hours.
In our a lot of hard to please YouTube HD playback check, the pill lasted simply 5 hours with the keyboard dock adding an extra 3 hours.
HP Elite x2 1011 G1: conclusions
HP’s target enterprise and safety features is incredibly welcome, such a lot in order that it’s nearly attainable to overlook the many hardware flaws within the x2 1011 G1. The chunky and restrictive hinge, so-so screen quality, the tablet’s weight and problems with the touchpad mar what's otherwise a astonishingly smart hybrid.
There’s masses to love from the durable build to the the intrinsical 4G, comfy keyboard and very good battery life, however at this worth we’d expect so much fewer style flaws. If security is of overriding importance then the x2 1011 G1 could be a bargain - otherwise, we’d assume terribly rigorously regarding what your mobile computing priorities area unit before shopping for.
