HP Envy x2 The
Envy x2 impressed us. Its outstanding industrial design really shows the
potential of a tablet/laptop hybrid. The HP Envy x2 has a clean, comfortable
design and feels lightweight in tablet form. It has excellent battery life, and
works just as well as a laptop as it does as a tablet. Performance:
Unfortunately,
as soon as we start talking performance we’re confronted by the fact that Clover
Trail is still Atom, and Atom is still not in any way, shape or form a
performance chip – and that 2GB RAM maximum doesn’t help here either.Don’t get
us wrong, for navigating through Windows and average daily use such as browsing
the web and running apps or light programs, the Z2760 in the HP Envy x2 runs
smooth as butter. Performance is consistently superior to that in the netbooks
of yore, especially when it comes to HD video playback and light multi-tasking,
and most non 3D-gaming apps you’ll find in the Windows store should run without
a hitch.
However, proper
multi-tasking; running intensive HD video simultaneously with another program;
or using demanding programs like an image editor can still quite easily bring
this kind of machine to its knees. In other words, as a tablet the x2 performs
admirably, but as a laptop replacement you have to be prepared to put up with
its limitations.
3D gaming in anything
but the most casual titles, meanwhile, is also a big no-no. Even at minimum
settings our test games simply refused to run or crashed after getting through
the menus. Mind you, this is not surprising given that Intel’s integrated GMA
3600 chip paired with the Atom Z2760 is derived from an old PowerVR design the
benefits of which Windows drivers don’t fully bring out. Hopefully updated drivers
will eek out more performance.
Battery life:
Battery
life is impressive, living up to HP’s claim of seven hours when we streamed
video from BBC iPlayer. And, of course, there’s a second battery in the
keyboard, which provides an additional seven hours of battery life. No
ultrabook that weighs a similar amount can claim to last this long.
But, The laptop mode is top-heavy, and the awkward tablet detachment
mechanism isn’t perfect; it has limited ports; and a slower Atom processor
means in performance it's far behind most ultrabooks, even though it’s priced
like one.
The
bottom line: The HP Envy x2’s capacity to be a full Windows 8 tablet or dock
with a keyboard works as well as advertised, provided you’re willing to live
with slower performance at a high price. You’re paying for style.
Windows 8 (32-bit);
1.8GHz Intel Atom Z2760; 2GB DDR2 SDRAM 1,066MHz; 747MB (Total) Intel GMA; 64GB
SSD
Processor 1.8GHz Intel Atom Z2760
Memory 2GB, 1,066MHz
DDR2
Hard drive 64GB SSD
Graphics Intel GMA
Operating system
Windows 8
Dimensions (WD)
11.9x8.1 inches
Height 0.6-0.7 inch
Screen size
(diagonal) 11.6 inches
System weight /
Weight with AC adapter 3.1 pounds / 3.6 pounds (tablet + keyboard)
Category
Ultraportable hybrid
Price;
$849
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