HP Elite x2 1012 G1 Convertible Review
Slim 2-in-1 designs are pretty popular as of late. Microsoft started the trend with their Surface Pro series and - because of Microsoft's success - other manufacturers have followed suit. A few weeks ago we reviewed one of the competitors of the Surface Pro 4: the Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700. This time around we're taking a look at HP's version of a slim 2-in-1 detachable, the Elite x2 1012 G1. Like its competitors, HP uses a 12.5-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and equips the convertibles in this series with Skylake Core-m processors.
In 2015 we reviewed the HP Elite x2 1011 G1, which could be considered a predecessor of sorts. The two don't have much in common, however. The predecessor came with a 16:9 aspect ratio and was a lot bulkier than the Elite x2 1012 G1. Competitors of the HP detachable are first and foremost the Microsoft Surface 4 Pro, the Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700, the Dell XPS 12 9250 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO S. The Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch also deserves to be included in this list.
Case
The hardware is housed in a good-looking silver metal chassis. At the upper edge on the back there's a 2 cm wide black stripe (likely hiding the antennas), which breaks up the design. The Elite x2 measures 8.05 mm and is thus a bit slimmer than the Surface Pro 4 (8.5 mm) and the IdeaPad Miix 700 (9 mm). It does weigh more though (820 grams; 1205 grams with keyboard dock) than the competition (Surface Pro 4: 774 grams; Miix 700: 780 grams). None of the devices mentioned can unseat the iPad Pro 12.9-inch here, which is 6.9 mm thick and weighs 723 grams. The build quality is top notch and the parts fit together well. One point of criticism is the sturdiness: the tablet twists too easily. We would've expected a higher torsional rigidity.
The Elite x2 comes with a stand as well. Unlike the Miix 700 and the Surface Pro 4, the x2's stand is not a continuous metal plate but is a u-shaped bar that's about 8.5 mm wide. Above 55 degrees, the hinges are noticeably stiffer, which is supposed to prevent the stand from folding.
Connectivity
The Elite x2 doesn't have a plethora of physical ports. The USB 3.0 port (Type A) allows the connection of common peripherals like a mouse, hard drive, or a printer. A video-out is lacking - but this is where the Thunderbolt 3 port comes in. Not only is this the connector used for the power adapter, it also functions as a USB 3.1 port and - with the aid of additional adapters - can provide HDMI or VGA.
Keyword Thunderbolt: HP doesn't use the term much in their product description. The port is listed as "USB Type C with Thunderbolt support (docking, charge, and USB 3.1 port)". Nonetheless: this is a true Thunderbolt 3 interface.
Communication
The Elite x2 is equipped with a WLAN module from Intel. In addition to the standards 802.11 a/b/g/h/n, the module supports the faster ac standard and Bluetooth 4.2. We had no issues with the wireless reception both close to our router and two floors below it. Our review convertible is equipped with LTE as well, which allows it to connect to cellular networks. This modem is optional - not all x2 models come equipped as such. The SIM-card slot supports MicroSIM cards.
The Internet for Free - Mobile Connect Pro
Our review 2-in-1 supports HP's Mobile Connect Pro Service and comes with the necessary SIM card. Users of the Elite x2 can download a maximum of 200 MB per month over 3 years free of charge in all countries of the European Union where the service is offered. Larger data volumes are offered for a surcharge. In addition, HP offers connectivity throughout Europe (meaning countries with no Mobile Connect support) and even worldwide. Note: the included SIM card is not required - alternatively, SIM cards from various cellular providers can be used instead.
Camera
The rear-facing camera of the Elite x2 has a resolution of 5 MP. The lens is equipped with a flash and produces decent photos. The quality of the webcam isn't very convincing and is just good enough for video conferencing - but admittedly this is what it was designed for.
Security
The Elite x2 supports biometric security via a fingerprint reader, which is located on the back of the unit. TPM (TCG 2.0) is on board as well.
Accessories
In addition to the usual documents, the shipping carton also includes the stylus.
Maintenance
The upgrade options are pretty limited. Only the battery and the Solid State Drive (M.2) are swappable. Opening the unit is best left to professionals, as it is possible to damage the display in the process. The hardware manual includes a description of the process.
Warranty
In Germany, the Elite x2 comes with a 3-year warranty, although other options are available as well. A 3-year worldwide onsite warranty costs about 190 Euros (~$215).
Input Devices
Keyboard
Our review convertible included what's commonly called a travel keyboard. Similar to the competitors Lenovo and Microsoft, the keyboard is attached with magnets and can either lie flat or be propped up at an angle. The upper part of the keyboard is made from a single piece of metal; the bottom is a type of felt. The keyboard has a two-level backlight as well, which can be turned on via a function key. The keys are flat, slightly rough to the touch and feature short travel and distinct feedback. We noticed some flex while typing - same as for the Surface Pro 4 and the IdeaPad Miix 700. All things considered, this is a very decent keyboard on par with the competitors.
HP also offers a secondary type of dock - called "Advanced Keyboard" - which is larger and heavier, but it also has a SmartCard reader and NFC. This dock sells for around 200 Euros (~$225).
Touchpad
The ClickPad is multitouch-capable and measures 9.4 x 5.5 cm - large enough for gestures. The smooth surface allows the fingers to glide easily. The travel distance is quite short and the pad provides both tactile and audible feedback.
Touchscreen/Active Pen
The touchscreen can either be controlled by the user's fingers or with the included ActivePen (Wacom; 1x AAAA). The screen recognizes up to 10 inputs simultaneously. The stylus has three buttons: two on the lower half, one on the upper. HP includes three replacement nibs as well. The x2 comes with a magnetic hold for the stylus, and there is also a pen loop, which allows attaching the stylus to the tablet. The pen is comfortable to hold and reacts quickly. Both writing and drawing are easily accomplished and the pressure sensibility is quite good as well. The ActivePen supports 2048 levels of pressure.
Display
The Elite x2 comes with a 12.5-inch touchscreen display and a native resolution of 1920x1280 pixels. The brightness is decent at 318.8 cd/m², although it could be a little higher, since a convertible is likely used in different environments and varying ambient light conditions. The contrast of 767:1 is good, but some of the best current panels exceed ratios of 1000:1. Users who require a very bright and contrasty display should take a look at the Surface Pro 4. A positive aspect: the Elite x2 doesn't suffer from PWM flickering at all.
The display of the HP detachable has a lower resolution than the Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 (2160x1440 pixels) and the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (2736x1824 pixels). We didn't really notice a vast difference between the three devices here and the display of the Elite x2 is certainly very sharp.
|
Brightness Distribution: 97 %
Center on Battery: 322 cd/m²
Contrast: 767:1 (Black: 0.42 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.02 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.29 | 0.57-98 Ø5.2
73.2% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
47.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
53.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
73.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
53.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.4
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM not detected | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17753 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. |
As shipped, the Elite x2 has a DeltaE deviation of 6.02, which is neither great nor horrible. The goal is a value of less than 3. The display also has a very slight bluish hue. A calibration markedly improves the quality: the color deviation drops to 2.81 and the bluish hue disappears. The graylevels are now more balanced as well. The display can't reproduce the professional color spaces AdobeRGB and sRGB with coverages of 47.8 and 73.2%, respectively.
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
22.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 10.4 ms rise | |
↘ 12.4 ms fall | ||
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 45 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.4 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
33.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 15.2 ms rise | |
↘ 18 ms fall | ||
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 39 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.6 ms). |
As common for this class, the Elite x2 is equipped with a panel based on IPS technology. The viewing-angle stability is thus very good and the screen content can be read from all angles. Outdoor use is possible, but primarily when the user is in the shade or during overcast conditions. Direct sunlight is best avoided.
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 IPS, 1920x1280 | Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3 IPS, 2736x1824 | Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 IPS, 2160x1440 | Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB IPS, 2736x1824 | Apple iPad Pro 12.9 IPS, 2732x2048 | Dell XPS 12 9250 4K IPS, 3840x2160 | HP Elite x2 1011 G1 IPS-Panel, 1920x1080 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Display | 28% | 30% | 26% | 50% | 58% | -14% | |
Display P3 Coverage | 53.8 | 67.5 25% | 68.1 27% | 65 21% | 91.2 70% | 83.9 56% | 44.4 -17% |
sRGB Coverage | 73.7 | 96.6 31% | 97.4 32% | 96.5 31% | 98.1 33% | 99.8 35% | 66.4 -10% |
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 53.8 | 69 28% | 70.2 30% | 67 25% | 79.3 47% | 98.1 82% | 45.91 -15% |
Response Times | -38% | 20% | -38% | -31% | |||
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 33.2 ? | 46 ? -39% | 30 ? 10% | 46 ? -39% | 36 ? -8% | ||
Response Time Black / White * | 22.8 ? | 31 ? -36% | 16 ? 30% | 31.2 ? -37% | 35 ? -54% | ||
PWM Frequency | 50 ? | 200 ? | 50 ? | 1000 ? | |||
Screen | 34% | 8% | 28% | 46% | 35% | -6% | |
Brightness middle | 322 | 389.2 21% | 341 6% | 413 28% | 399 24% | 437 36% | 364 13% |
Brightness | 319 | 392 23% | 318 0% | 396 24% | 393 23% | 399 25% | 331 4% |
Brightness Distribution | 97 | 92 -5% | 87 -10% | 87 -10% | 92 -5% | 81 -16% | 84 -13% |
Black Level * | 0.42 | 0.27 36% | 0.36 14% | 0.36 14% | 0.22 48% | 0.35 17% | 0.44 -5% |
Contrast | 767 | 1441 88% | 947 23% | 1147 50% | 1814 137% | 1249 63% | 827 8% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 6.02 | 3.61 40% | 6 -0% | 3.09 49% | 2.96 51% | 3.56 41% | 7.32 -22% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 10.06 | 9.3 8% | |||||
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 6.29 | 3.8 40% | 8.12 -29% | 3.92 38% | 3 52% | 2.67 58% | 7.37 -17% |
Gamma | 2.4 92% | 2.16 102% | 2.23 99% | 2.3 96% | 2.21 100% | 2.17 101% | 2.03 108% |
CCT | 7712 84% | 5969 109% | 7011 93% | 7333 89% | 7049 92% | 6681 97% | 6479 100% |
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 47.8 | 63 32% | 63.4 33% | 61 28% | 71.15 49% | 86 80% | 42.2 -12% |
Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 73.2 | 97 33% | 97.4 33% | 97 33% | 97.87 34% | 100 37% | 66.1 -10% |
Total Average (Program / Settings) | 8% /
23% | 19% /
14% | 5% /
18% | 48% /
47% | 21% /
31% | -10% /
-8% |
* ... smaller is better
Performance
The HP Elite x2 1012 G1 is a 12.5-inch detachable which offers more than enough power for normal usage scenarios. The convertible comes with business features like TPM and a fingerprint reader. Models with integrated LTE modems are available as well. Our configuration sells for about 1500 Euros (~$1700). The least expensive version sells for 900 Euros (~$1015) sans the keyboard dock.
Processor
While the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 can be purchased with either Core-m or Core-i CPUs, the Elite x2 1012 only comes with Core-m processors. Our review detachable was shipped with a middle-class Skylake dual-core Core m5-6Y54. Thanks to the very low TDP of 4.5 watts, active cooling is not required. The processor operates at a core frequency of 1.1 GHz; the Turbo can overclock one core to 2.7 GHz and both cores to 2.4 GHz and is active with the convertible plugged in as well as in battery mode. To offer a comparison: the single-thread results of the Cinebench benchmark are comparable to notebooks with a Broadwell Core i5-5200U.
The CPU is able to keep up its performance over longer periods of time. Even when we conducted the single and multithreaded tests five times in a row, the results remained the same. The Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 - which we reviewed recently - is also equipped with the Core m5-6Y54 but can't keep up in that regard. It seems HP has a better handle on CPU cooling.
Geekbench 3 | |
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value) | |
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB | |
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value) | |
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB |
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value) | |
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB | |
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 | |
HP Elite x2 1011 G1 |
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 | |
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 |
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value) | |
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB | |
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 | |
HP Elite x2 1011 G1 |
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB | |
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 | |
HP Elite x2 1011 G1 |
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value) | |
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB | |
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 | |
HP Elite x2 1011 G1 |
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
Considering the hardware, it's not surprising that the HP detachable operates quickly and smoothly. The results of the PCMark benchmark tests are very good as well. The Elite x2 is slightly faster than the Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700, since it's able to maintain the CPU Turbo for longer periods of time. Compared to the CPU tests, the plus in performance isn't quite as large here, since the PCMark benchmarks evaluate all hardware components and not just the CPU. The overall performance can't be improved by the user - HP already exhausted all tuning options.
PCMark 7 Score | 4808 points | |
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 2983 points | |
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 3423 points | |
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 3932 points | |
Help |
PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value) | |
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7 | |
HP Elite x2 1011 G1 |
Storage Device
HP uses a Solid State Drive from Lite On with a capacity of 256 GB. About 200 GB is accessible by the user; the rest is taken up by the Windows installation and the recovery partition. The SSD uses an M.2 interface and could be swapped out for a larger model. The transfer rates are very decent.
The drive in question is "only" a SATA SSD. NVMe SSDs - with a PCI Express interface - allow for much higher transfer rates. The M.2 slot in the Elite x2 supports such drives. HP mentions in the hardware manual that some versions of the x2 ship with NVMe SSDs.
GPU Performance
The Elite x2 has an Intel HD Graphics 515 to handle the graphics tasks. The GPU supports DirectX 12 and operates at up to 900 MHz. The HP convertible also scores ahead of the Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 in the 3DMark benchmarks. Both systems have dual-channel RAM, which leads to better efficiency and higher performance. While the performance remained nearly constant during the CPU tests, we observed a drop in the 3DMark scores during our second test loop. After a very short cooling-down period, the performance improved again. During all our attempts, the 3DMark 11 results never dropped below 1100 points.
The GPU features a decoder which takes load off the CPU during video playback. The decoder integrated into the current Skylake-generation GPUs is able to also decode H.265 material - something the predecessors weren't capable of. As one would guess, H.265 is the successor to the H.264 format. This new standard allows for smaller file sizes at the same quality. During playback of a test video (4k, 60 fps, H.265), the CPU utilization remained under 10%. For the playback we use the Windows Movie & TV app, since this program supports hardware acceleration of H.265 material. Windows Media Player lacks this acceleration and would require additional software.
3DMark 06 Standard Score | 7912 points | |
3DMark 11 Performance | 1334 points | |
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 47242 points | |
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 4943 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 739 points | |
Help |
3DMark 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x (sort by value) | |
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 | |
HP Elite x2 1011 G1 |
Gaming Performance
The Elite x2 even allows for some gaming thanks to the fairly powerful Skylake GPU in combination with the dual-channel RAM. Games with moderate hardware requirements work best, but even then, most titles are restricted to low resolutions and quality settings. Hardware-intensive games like Far Cry Primal are out of the question, since the frame rates are simply not playable.
A look at the comparison table shows that the Core m3-equipped Surface Pro 4 is capable of higher frame rates than the review convertible when playing BioShock Infinite - despite the fact that the Elite x2 has a more powerful processor. Microsoft allows the GPU to run at a higher frequency and higher temperature when both the CPU and the GPU are working in unison. The IdeaPad Miix 700 runs at the lowest frequency, which in turn means that it trails behind the competitors.
low | med. | high | ultra | |
Tomb Raider (2013) | 59.9 | 31.2 | 21.6 | 9.5 |
BioShock Infinite (2013) | 44.1 | 24.6 | 20.7 | 5.9 |
Battlefield 4 (2013) | 35.5 | 23.5 | 15 | 4.3 |
The Witcher 3 (2015) | 11.2 | 7.1 | ||
The Division (2016) | 12 | 8.4 | ||
Hitman 2016 (2016) | 10.1 | 9.2 |
BioShock Infinite - 1280x720 Very Low Preset (sort by value) | |
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB | |
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7 |
Emissions
Temperature
The fact that the CPU and GPU frequencies drop over time shouldn't come as a surprise, since the Elite x2 is cooled passively. At the start of our stress test (Prime95 and FurMark running in parallel for at least one hour), both the CPU and the GPU run at high speeds. After a few seconds, throttling occurs and the CPU and the GPU both drop to 1 GHz and 550 - 600 MHz, respectively. After one hour, we observed 800 MHz for the CPU and 400 MHz for the GPU. The 2-in-1 doesn't get overly hot: only two areas exceeded 40 °C slightly.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 39 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 41.2 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.7 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (34.9 °C / 94.8 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-6.8 °C / -12.2 F).
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 6Y54, HD Graphics 515 | Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3 6Y30, HD Graphics 515 | Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 6Y54, HD Graphics 515 | Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB 6300U, HD Graphics 520 | Apple iPad Pro 12.9 A9X, A9X / PowerVR GT7xxx | Dell XPS 12 9250 4K 6Y75, HD Graphics 515 | HP Elite x2 1011 G1 5Y51, HD Graphics 5300 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heat | -8% | 1% | -32% | -6% | -8% | 3% | |
Maximum Upper Side * | 39 | 43.6 -12% | 38.6 1% | 52.3 -34% | 40.1 -3% | 41.4 -6% | 36.6 6% |
Maximum Bottom * | 41.2 | 45.2 -10% | 40.8 1% | 51.4 -25% | 39.3 5% | 43.9 -7% | 37.3 9% |
Idle Upper Side * | 29.5 | 32.4 -10% | 30.4 -3% | 43.2 -46% | 33.8 -15% | 34.7 -18% | 30.5 -3% |
Idle Bottom * | 29.8 | 29.6 1% | 28 6% | 36 -21% | 32.9 -10% | 29.4 1% | 29.9 -0% |
* ... smaller is better
Speakers
The stereo speakers are located on the upper half of the tablet. The sound is quite acceptable, but the bass is lacking. Voices are easy to understand. Better quality requires the use of headphones or external speakers.
Energy Management
Power Consumption
During idle, the Elite x2 requires between 3.7 and 7.6 watts, which is lower than the power draw of the IdeaPad Miix 700. In our opinion this is due to the higher resolution of the Miix 700. The Surface Pro 4 requires even more power, since it has the highest resolution. At medium load levels, the Elite x2 is more power-hungry than the Miix 700 - the CPU of the former runs at higher speeds. At the start of the stress test we measured 34.5 watts for the first few seconds; after subsequent throttling of both the CPU and GPU that value dropped to below 20 watts. The power adapter is rated for 45 watts.
Off / Standby | 0.4 / 0.45 Watt |
Idle | 3.7 / 6.8 / 7.6 Watt |
Load |
22.5 / 34.5 Watt |
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 6Y54, HD Graphics 515 | Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 6Y54, HD Graphics 515 | Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB 6300U, HD Graphics 520 | Apple iPad Pro 12.9 A9X, A9X / PowerVR GT7xxx | Dell XPS 12 9250 4K 6Y75, HD Graphics 515 | HP Elite x2 1011 G1 5Y51, HD Graphics 5300 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Consumption | -9% | -7% | 6% | -25% | 45% | |
Idle Minimum * | 3.7 | 4 -8% | 4.4 -19% | 2.69 27% | 5.4 -46% | 1.5 59% |
Idle Average * | 6.8 | 8.6 -26% | 9 -32% | 10.95 -61% | 10.2 -50% | 4 41% |
Idle Maximum * | 7.6 | 9.3 -22% | 10.7 -41% | 11.14 -47% | 12.5 -64% | 5 34% |
Load Average * | 22.5 | 18.6 17% | 19.6 13% | 11.54 49% | 21.4 5% | 13.9 38% |
Load Maximum * | 34.5 | 36.3 -5% | 19.9 42% | 12.8 63% | 24.4 29% | 16.9 51% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
Our practically relevant WLAN test simulates web browsing with the aid of a script. We activate the balanced profile and set the display brightness to approximately 150 cd/m². The Elite x2 shut down after 7 hours and 23 minutes. To check how long the test candidate lasts during video playback, we let a short video (Big Buck Bunny; H.264 codec, 1920x1080 pixels) run in a loop. The wireless modules are deactivated and the display brightness is once again set to about 150 cd/m². Here, the HP detachable lasted for 7 hours and 12 minutes before we had to plug it back in. For the runtime tests, we used the Elite x2 with the keyboard attached.
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 37 Wh | Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3 38 Wh | Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700 41 Wh | Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB 38 Wh | Apple iPad Pro 12.9 39 Wh | Dell XPS 12 9250 4K 28 Wh | HP Elite x2 1011 G1 54 Wh | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battery Runtime | 8% | 11% | 1% | 79% | -41% | 68% | |
Reader / Idle | 732 | 791 8% | 861 18% | 899 23% | 1933 164% | 370 -49% | 1063 45% |
H.264 | 432 | 450 4% | 630 46% | 658 52% | |||
WiFi v1.3 | 443 | 488 10% | 440 -1% | 427 -4% | 695 57% | 243 -45% | 675 52% |
Load | 130 | 138 6% | 157 21% | 111 -15% | 195 50% | 93 -28% | 288 122% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Just like the competing manufacturers, HP outfits the Elite x2 with Core-m CPUs from Intel's current Skylake-generation of processors. The performance is more than adequate for most usage scenarios. Even extended loads don't cause a performance drop. The GPU, however, loses some power - but after a short cooling-down phase the performance rebounds to normal levels. In our opinion, HP does a better job with the cooling of the SoC than let's say Lenovo with their IdeaPad Miix 700.
The Solid State Drive makes for a very responsive system. If needed, this particular SSD can be swapped out for a larger model - although we recommend leaving this task to a professional. We like the keyboard dock, which performs very much on par with the competition. A positive aspect is that the keyboard features a backlight, which the IdeaPad Miix 700 lacks. The battery life is quite decent overall. The display could be improved, however. It's not that this panel is particularly bad - but considering the price, we expect a little more as far as the brightness and the contrast are concerned.
The name Elite x2 1012 G1 indicates that this detachable is oriented towards business users. Home users will find the 2-in-1 to be an appealing choice as well.
So which 2-in-1 is best overall - is it the Microsoft Surface 4 Pro, Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700, HP Elite x2 1012 G1 or the Dell XPS 12 9250? The Dell is instantly out of the running because of its mediocre battery life. As for the other three choices, it's mostly a matter of personal preference, the requirements, and the budget. All three did well in our tests, so we can wholeheartedly recommend them. The least expensive choice is the IdeaPad Miix 700, which is oriented more towards the home user. With the keyboard and the stylus, the Miix 700 starts at about 950 Euros (~$1070). The Surface Pro 4 has the brightest display, lots of contrast, and the highest resolution. The HP Elite x2 1012 G1 has the best CPU performance. Users who want an integrated LTE modem need to look at either Lenovo or HP. One other device worth considering is the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO S. We are in the process of reviewing that particular model and hope to publish a review in the next few days.
HP Elite x2 1012 G1
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04/19/2016 v5.1(old)
Sascha Mölck