 "First Impressions: HP Slatebook 10 X2")
Among the slew of products displayed by HP yesterday at an event held in Delhi, only the Slatebook 10 X2 has been launched and is available for Rs 39,990. The specifications and price places it in the competitive high-end tablet space with the reigning Apple iPad and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. Here’s our first impressions about the HP Slatebook 10 X2.
Design
The HP Slatebook 10 X2 is a touch-enabled convertible. The large 10.1-inch full HD display is bundled with a chiclet keyboard. It is one of the few tablets that come with a keyboard dock. A small slider button at the centre releases the display so that it can be used as a standalone tablet. By the look and feel of it, the device is well built and has a cool design. The edges are tapered and smooth. HP showcased the Slatebook 10 X2 in brown and white shades. We think the white one looked really classy. Though it doesn’t look plasticky, it is built of polycarbonate and definitely something one doesn’t expect from a device priced at Rs 39,990.
The convertible Slatebook 10 X2
Tablet mode
For starters, the Slatebook 10 X2 is extremely light in the tablet mode for a 10-incher. It sports a 10.1-inch full HD display with 1920 x 1200 resolution and runs on Android jelly Bean 4.2.2. Though not as crisp as the iPad’s Retina display, the screen didn’t disappoint us. As a standalone tablet, the power and volume buttons are embedded on the backside of the tablet. All the connectivity ports run along the edge of the tablet. It comes with a full USB port, which is appreciated, but surprisingly, there is no microUSB port. Moreover, the charger is proprietary. Another hiccup is the lack of support for SIM or 3G. For a device priced so high, it is definitely a drawback. Navigating across the device in the tablet mode was smooth and we didn’t experience any lags. It comes with rear and front-facing cameras. The cameras support 1080p and 720p recording.
The power button on the backside of the tablet
The Slatebook 10 X2 comes across as a powerful device as it is fuelled by a Tegra 4 quad-core processor clocked at 1.9GHz and 2GB RAM. It has a gigantic internal memory of 64GB, which can be further extended up to 32GB via microSD card slot.
Take a look at the quick hands on video:
Notebook mode
The detachable keyboard instantly turns the tablet into a notebook. However, as soon as you attach the keyboard, the device appears to be significantly heavier. The reason is that the device comes with two batteries – one for the keyboard and the other for the display. Obviousy, two batteries render the device heavier than what one would expect. On the other hand, HP claims that the battery life could stretch somewhere around 13 to 14 hours. Well, we’ll know this only after a complete battery test. The keyboard is pretty neat while typing and navigating. It has some shortcuts for quick access to Android features. Using the trackpad for the Android device makes navigating all the more simpler. In addition to the 64GB memory, you can add more storage in the notebook mode via the SD card slot. The notebook mode also adds an HDMI port.
The detachable keyboard
Overall
The Slatebook 10 X2 is a neatly-designed hybrid targeting consumers looking for the best of both worlds – a physical keyboard and an Android tablet. The screen is crisp and clear for using it as a tablet and the chiclet keyboard adds to the convenience when used in the notebook mode. It is very light as a tablet, but turns heavy in the notebook mode. However, navigating across the device using the touchscreen, keyboard and trackpad is easy. The device promises ample of storage options and prolonged battery life. There are a host of connectivity options such as Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, GPS, Bluetooth and HDMI. But the missing 3G mobile data support is the sore point. Another disappointment is the lack of microUSB port and eventually the proprietary charger. Only after a complete review will we know how it fares against the existing competition.
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