It looks like HP’s Elite lineup for business users will be getting a new device soon in the form of the HP Elite x3 phablet. The device has been categorised as Elite Next Gen which gives HP the ability to not announce its availability nor its price, but considering the intended market and the kind of specs it carries, this device will definitely be pricey. If interested, sign up now to be notified when it does become available.
HP’s tagline of ‘The one device that’s every device’ for the Elite x3 somewhat describes why this is going to be an important device with its enterprise customers. Combining the power and productivity of a laptop/desktop PC, along with the portability and connectivity of a smartphone, but more importantly, the ability to add other external features/add-ons make the Elite x3 the one device that is flexible enough to be configured according to companies’ or even employees’ needs.
With the x3 and Microsoft’s Continuum feature, it is now possible for employees to carry around just one device. Users can make use of a combo of dock, display, keyboard, and mouse for a desktop-like experience, or for a more laptop-like ability, they can opt instead for the HP Mobile Extender. The latter features an ultra-slim design, in a notebook form factor, with a 12.5” near borderless display. As for the external add-ons, tools such as smartcard/credit card readers, barcode scanners, portable printers, and even external battery packs can be attached onto the phablet and interface directly with it using the pogo pins connection at the back.
As a productivity tool, running Microsoft Windows for Mobile is a great start for employees as it results in a minimal learning curve and it comes with Microsoft Office. The OS’s mature ecosystem and the extensive support for 3rd party tools/apps is another boon for businesses, which can now continue using existing systems without disruptions to daily workflow. Employees will be able to access corporate apps virtually too, using the HP Workspace tool.
According to Ars Technica, the x3 has several integrated business-grade security measures that has been built into the hardware as well as the operating system. These include FIPS 140-2 cryptography, TPM 2.0, and 256-bit key full disk encryption. These are enhanced further with the usage of the device’s dual biometric authentication systems: fingerprint and iris.
Built for the outdoors, the x3 comes ready with IP67 certification and is awaiting MIL-STD 810G military grade tests. HP has also roped in its regular partner, Bang & Olufsen, to work on the audio output for the device. Its front facing speakers and noise cancelling omni-directional mics make it the only device needed when conducting audio conferences or when using Cortana. Video conferencing has also been enhanced with the 8 MP front camera. With its dual SIM card slots, x3 makes it possible to have separate lines for work and personal uses, together with their own individual smartphone profiles. The phablet supports wireless charging too.
Here are the key specifications of the HP Elite x3:
- 64-bit Quad-core (2 x 2.15 GHz Kryo processors + 2 x 1.6 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 processors) Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 (MSM8996) SoC with Qualcomm Adreno 530 graphics.
- Runs Microsoft Windows 10 Mobile.
- 5.96”, 2160 x 1440, AMOLED screen with a pixel density of 435.57 ppi. Comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and anti-reflective coating.
- 4 GB RAM (LPDDR4) with 64 GB (eMMC 5.1) internal memory, and accepts microSD card of up to 1 TB.
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band with Wi-Fi Display (Miracast), Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC, VoLTE, supports USB to DisplayPort/HDMI/VGA connections, and USB 3.0 with Type-C connector.
- Supports GPRS, EDGE, HSPA+ and 4G LTE-A with VoLTE. Two SIM slots (nano-SIM + micro-SIM/nano-SIM) with dual standby.
- 16 MP rear camera with CMOS BSI sensor, autofocus, LED flash and aperture of f/2.0; along with 8 MP front camera.
- Additional features: dust and water resistant (IP67), designed for MIL-STD 810G testing (military grade), fingerprint reader, iris scanner, gyroscope, Microsoft Continuum support, security features (FIPS 140-2 cryptography, TPM 2.0, and 256-bit key full disk encryption), 5 Pogo pin contacts at the back for external hardware, active noise cancellation with omni-directional mics, Bang & Olufsen audio, front facing speakers, and supports additional formats/codecs for audio (FLAC, Opus) and video (MKV).
- 4,150 mAh, non-removable Li-ion polymer battery with support for fast charging. Built-in wireless charging (supporting PMA, and Qi).
- Dimensions are 161.8 x 83.5 x 7.8 mm and weighs 195 g.
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