HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 Targets Business With An Eye For Design And Security
If the Spectre x360 is the hybrid notebook for mainstream consumers, the EliteBook x360 1030 G2 is the hybrid for business customers. Today, HP revealed the next iteration of the EliteBook x360 at CES 2017, and though it does have some things in common with the new Spectre x360 – most notably the convertible design – the new EliteBook has a few features that make it stand out.
HP developed this notebook with young professionals in mind, and because of that, there's a lot of focus on design and security. HP points to the EliteBook's aluminum unibody frame, diamond cut accents, and "asteroid silver" color as design elements that will hopefully turn some heads. It also claims this is the thinnest business convertible ever made, clocking in at 0.59-inches thick.
The EliteBook x360 1030 G2 comes in a variety of hardware configurations. Two such models will sport a Core i5 processor – a Core i5-7200U in what is presumably the base model, and a Core i5-7300U in the mid-range one. Users will be able to upgrade to a Core i7-7600U if they so choose, but unlike its Spectre x360 counterpart, these notebooks won't use discreet graphics. Instead, they'll opt for integrated graphics, which each one using Intel HD Graphics 620.
The 13.3-inch touchscreen display comes outfitted with Gorilla Glass and is available in FHD (1080p) or UHD (4K) resolutions. Obviously, this being a hybrid, you'll be able to rotate the screen to a handful of different positions, with HP naming five different use modes: laptop, tablet, media, conference, and tent. Rounding out the hardware will be 16GB of RAM, an SSD that ranges in capacity from 128GB to 512GB depending on the model, and a 57Wh lithium ion battery that uses HP's fast charge technology and is said to provide 16 hours and 30 minutes of life.
HP also spent a significant amount of time explaining the amount of ports this new EliteBook offers. With one USB Type-C port with Thunderbolt, two USB 3.1 ports, 1 full-size HDMI port, a MicroSD card reader and a smart card reader, HP is making it clear that this is no MacBook Pro. In a world where professionals may not want to carry around a bunch of different dongles and adapters, that could give the EliteBook a competitive edge.
Finally, we come to the security measures HP has implemented in the EliteBook. The 1030 G2 supports HP Sure View, which reduces viewing angles and clarity for the people around you and can be activated using a keyboard shortcut. HP's third generation Sure Start technology can help protect against BIOS attacks, and you'll find support for Windows Hello through both the touch fingerprint scanner and the IR camera for face authentication.
The EliteBook x360 1030 G2 will be launching later this month, though at the time of this writing, HP hasn't given a specific release date. Just as well, pricing hasn't been confirmed yet, but it seems safe to assume that the EliteBook will launch around a $1500 price point. Keep it here for more information on 2017's new EliteBook, and have a look at our CES 2017 hub for more from the show!