HP’s new ZBook x2 is looking to bring some of the portability and versatility of a consumer 2-in-1 convertible tablet into the workstation space. It’s a smart-looking laptop with a detachable keyboard, a vibrant display, and a sturdy chassis, and plenty of powerful hardware under the hood.
As the traditional desktop PC market continues to transition in a more portable direction, one of the most popular hardware types to pick up the slack has been convertible tablets. The 2-in-1 that lets a user operate it as a tablet or laptop has proven to be a winning formula for many manufacturers, HP included. And now the company wants to see if that same style can benefit the workstation crowd, too.
With the ZBook x2 though, HP is looking to do more than just bring the 2-in-1 form factor to its workstation customers. In crafting it, HP talked with amateur creatives and professionals alike and discovered that their biggest obstacle was the lack of performance in convertible tablets. That’s why the ZBook x2 comes packing some powerful components, as per Anandtech.
When configuring your new workstation system, you can decide from a seventh- or eighth-generation processor from Intel, with Core i5 and i7 options. All models come with 32GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory, and up to 512GB of solid-state NVME storage. For those who need more than Intel HD or UHD graphics, there is also the option for a discrete Nvidia Quadra M620 with 2GB of GDDR5.
All of that powers the 14-inch 4K display, which comes with an IPS anti-glare panel, or a Dreamcolor anti-glare touchscreen. Connectivity wise, the ZBook x2 offers an HDMI 1.4 port, a single USB 3.0 Type-A port for charging, two USB 3.1 Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 2 support, and a 3.5mm headphone/mic connector. It also has a built-in smart- and media-card reader. Wirelessly it supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2.
The chassis itself can transition through four modes: tablet, detach, dock, and laptop. The keyboard is LED-backlit to make operation in low-light environments possible and it can be entirely detached for a more tablet-like experience. The on-board battery offers 70 watt-hours and is said to last up to 10 hours in ideal settings.
Although HP hasn’t detailed all of the pricing options for the new ZBook x2 just yet, it has said the starting price is $1,750 and availability will start in early December.
