SILVERY STYLE AND SUBSTANCE
HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2
The 1030 G2 from HP is a worthy addition to their x360 portfolio
PRICE ₹1,64,317
URL www.hpshopping.in
DIMENSIONS 31.69×21.85×1.49cm
WEIGHT Approx. 1.30kg
RAM 8 GB DDR4-2133 SDRAM
GPU Onboard Intel HD Graphics 620
PROCESSOR 7th Generation Intel Core i7 7600U
STORAGE 512GB SSD PCIe
SPEAKER 4 integrated stereo speakers powered by Bang & Olufsen
OS Windows 10 Pro 64
DISPLAY 13.3” IPS touchscreen
RESOLUTION FHD (1920×1080)
WI-FI Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2×2) Wi-Fi
BLUETOOTH v4.2
PORTS 1x USB Type-C with Thunderbolt, 2x USB 3.1 (1 charging), 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x AC power connector; 1x headphone/microphone combo
BATTERY 57Wh Li-ion
The EliteBook series from HP is very well-known and has been a reliable fixture in the business division for years. The 1030 G2 pulls double duties as a laptop and tablet owing to its convertible nature. Instead of going for a flashy design, the brushed aluminium silver gives it an air of sophistication that makes it suitable anywhere. The build quality is solid thanks to the sturdily built metal chassis that doesn’t flex or creak leading to an overall premium feel. The 360-degree hinge is balanced to open up easily and yet not accidentally tilt back. It’s lightweight and handy although the charging adapter could have done with a trim as it contributes to a majority of the heft when carrying them together. The ports are amply distributed on both sides with the power button and volume rocker resides on the left.
The device is a tad elevated allowing for proper airflow through the vents at the rear and permeation of sound from the speaker grills underneath. Powered by Bang & Olufsen technology, the sound isn’t loud enough but decent and clear to fill a small room. The matte black input keyboard is backlit and has a well-spaced layout. Some of the dedicated function keys are for launching Outlook, HP SureView which obfuscates the view from the sides and separates answer/hang buttons only working with Skype for business. The Microsoft precision touchpad works with a wealth of gestures so leaving the mouse behind won’t be a problem. Sadly, a stylus has not been bundled and is an optional purchase so we couldn’t test it out. Still, the touch performance is responsive instantly registering finger input on various parts of the screen.
There is a host of security features like fingerprint sensor, smart card reader and Trusted Platform Module 2.0. The display panel has pretty accurate and vivid colour reproduction but brightness can definitely be improved. The boot time is quick and multitasking was a breeze. It ran without a hitch even though we had kept open a browser with 25 tabs, a 1080p video running in the background and productivity suite applications. Since the 8th gen Intel processors are out we’d prefer to see that along with double the RAM to make it more future proof. On battery, the 1030 G2 lasted an average of 7-8 hours depending upon the processor load and screen lighting which is quite good. Seems pricey when compared to the consumer segment but it’s almost in line with other business ultra-portables.
VERDICT
WE’RE IMPRESSED Variety of ports, battery life, security, light
WE’D IMPROVE Stylus not included, low brightness, slightly stiff pricing, 7th gen processor
THE LAST WORD Not just for businesses but consumers will also get their money’s worth.
RATING 4/5
Note: This review was originally published in the May 2018 issue of T3 India.