HP ENVY x2 Review Discussion

[Andrew Baxter]

Part tablet and part notebook, the new ENVY x2 is HP's most impressive Windows 8 hybrid PC to date, but is it worth $850? Read our full review to find out.

Read the full content of this Article: HP ENVY x2 Review

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[smilepak]

Such a promising laptop, pegged by bad decision. They should've stick with the iCore processor and use the X100 Sandisk SSD they used in the X1 Carbon with 8GB RAM. That would make this an awesome ultrabook hybrid PC.

[Mitlov]

Such a promising laptop, pegged by bad decision. They should've stick with the iCore processor and use the X100 Sandisk SSD they used in the X1 Carbon with 8GB RAM. That would make this an awesome ultrabook hybrid PC.

I don't think it should be an either-or decision. This device should get a battery life 3-4 times what Ivy Bridge convertible tablets like the Vaio Duo 11 and XPS 12 get. On the other hand, they're a lot more powerful and support 1080p resolution for only a modest increase in price. Different strokes for different folks. I think it's nice when a company like Lenovo offers both choices (IdeaTab Lynx and IdeaTab Yoga 13 being comparable to the Envy x2 and XPS 12, respectively). If the Windows 8 convertible tablet market expands, I'm sure we'll see both offerings from most major companies, including HP.

[Andrew Baxter]

Such a promising laptop, pegged by bad decision. They should've stick with the iCore processor and use the X100 Sandisk SSD they used in the X1 Carbon with 8GB RAM. That would make this an awesome ultrabook hybrid PC.

I agree better performance would be great, but this is a tablet parading as a laptop and not vice versa, meaning they have to stick to components that fit and work inside a tablet. A Core i5 would melt a slate, there'd be no way to cool it properly. The other touch screen devices that do have Core i5 are laptops parading as tablets, the screen is just a "dummy terminal" if you will and does not house any of the brains and components.

Now, whether HP chose the right direction and the functionality and form factor of the X2 is what people want, remains to be seen. As Mitlov says, Lenovo is hedging their bets by offering both styles.

[TailGunner]

Hopefully Haswell will improve the TDP of the next generation ULV processors. This hybrid has a really nice design and form factor, but the Atom processor is too anemic for everything except the most basic tasks and there's no way I would choose this over Acer's W700. You're better off with AMD's E2 series APUs if you're looking for a low wattage processor that can do something other than word processing fluidly.

[WindOS X]

Just thought that I should point out the fact that the HP Envy x2 is NOT an ultrabook despite what the review said. For a device to be considered an ultrabook, it must have Intel;s i-series processors.

Other than that this machine seems to be built for leisure users. Even though they run different operating systems it would be interesting to compare the raw power of the x2 against the 4th gen iPad out of curiosity.

[WindOS X]

I don't think it should be an either-or decision. This device should get a battery life 3-4 times what Ivy Bridge convertible tablets like the Vaio Duo 11 and XPS 12 get. On the other hand, they're a lot more powerful and support 1080p resolution for only a modest increase in price. Different strokes for different folks. I think it's nice when a company like Lenovo offers both choices (IdeaTab Lynx and IdeaTab Yoga 13 being comparable to the Envy x2 and XPS 12, respectively). If the Windows 8 convertible tablet market expands, I'm sure we'll see both offerings from most major companies, including HP.

I think eventually the power of the laptop will be married to the portability and longevity of the tablet to create one device. We are already seeing the baby steps toward this goal with all the windows 8 convertibles such as the Vaio duo 11 and XPS 12. Currently, manufacturers are experimenting around with form factors and performance combos in order to meet this goal whether it is their intention or not.

Nowadays consumers are more prone to buying a tablet which they use for light tasks and basic productivity and only turn to a laptop or a desktop as a last resort. Sure, high performance laptops and desktops will never die but eventually rather than seeing a divergence between laptops and tablets the gap will be closed by one type of device. The Windows 8 convertibles that we see today are only the beginning - 'prototypes' if you will- of something that will prove to last much longer in terms of technology.

Sure, Lenovo and others will have offerings for both sides, but these devices' days are clearly numbered. The ultimate goal of all manufacturers is to sell as many of their products as they can. This, however, is the exact opposite of what the consumers want- they want a singular device that will do it all for them. I predict that in the near future, perhaps within the next 3-5 years, the majority of consumers will no longer have to purchase both a laptop and a tablet. They will be able to get a device that does it all.

[Mitlov]

I think eventually the power of the laptop will be married to the portability and longevity of the tablet to create one device. We are already seeing the baby steps toward this goal with all the windows 8 convertibles such as the Vaio duo 11 and XPS 12. Currently, manufacturers are experimenting around with form factors and performance combos in order to meet this goal whether it is their intention or not.

Nowadays consumers are more prone to buying a tablet which they use for light tasks and basic productivity and only turn to a laptop or a desktop as a last resort. Sure, high performance laptops and desktops will never die but eventually rather than seeing a divergence between laptops and tablets the gap will be closed by one type of device. The Windows 8 convertibles that we see today are only the beginning - 'prototypes' if you will- of something that will prove to last much longer in terms of technology.

Sure, Lenovo and others will have offerings for both sides, but these devices' days are clearly numbered. The ultimate goal of all manufacturers is to sell as many of their products as they can. This, however, is the exact opposite of what the consumers want- they want a singular device that will do it all for them. I predict that in the near future, perhaps within the next 3-5 years, the majority of consumers will no longer have to purchase both a laptop and a tablet. They will be able to get a device that does it all.

You're preaching to the choir...I've been a believer in the laptop-tablet singularity since I took possession of my Vaio Duo 11 on October 29, 2012

[WindOS X]

You're preaching to the choir...I've been a believer in the laptop-tablet singularity since I took possession of my Vaio Duo 11 on October 29, 2012

@Mitlov
Certainly good to seem that we are on the same page then!

I know that this is a bit off topic, but do you have any qualms about the display of your Duo 11 facing outside all the time? ( I understand that the Duo 11 and the x2 are in completely different performance classes but still, in terms of durability how do you feel about the screen facing the outside?- this is especially taking into account the fact that other convertibles have screens that are not exposed when they are closed)

[Andrew Baxter]

Just thought that I should point out the fact that the HP Envy x2 is NOT an ultrabook despite what the review said. For a device to be considered an ultrabook, it must have Intel;s i-series processors.

Thanks for the clarification, but I blame Intel's confusing definition and requirements for an Ultrabook as my defense there

You're preaching to the choir...I've been a believer in the laptop-tablet singularity since I took possession of my Vaio Duo 11 on October 29, 2012

That'd be nice, but I'll be waiting for hopefully less than 10-years from now when a Smartphone can be the brains for a laptop, like the Motorola Lapdock did. That has since been pulled by Google, it just wasn't ready for prime time, nobody bought it or used it. One day we may be able to use one device for calling and all of our computing, with different dummy client form factors it can work inside depending on what the work situation calls for.

Until then, I'll be interested in watching how the tablet/laptop hybrid market evolves as clearly there is room for growth and merging of devices there.