HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3 Review: Thin, Light, Sleek
by
Chris Ledenican
—
Thursday, January 03, 2019, 12:47 PM EDT
HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3: A Very Classy Business Class Convertible
Everything in HP's EliteBook series falls into the company's business class lineup and today we are looking at their latest convertible; the HP EliteBook x360 1030. While its name might not roll off the tongue, this laptop's design, features, specifications and optional accessories could potentially have some folks salivating. Like other laptops in the Elitebook series, the x360 1030 sports an all aluminum chassis, giving it an elegant and distinct look. The configuration we're testing comes equipped with all the latest processor platform technology, including Intel's 8th Gen Kaby Lake R processor, 16GB of (on-board) LPDDR4 memory and a 512GB NVMe SSD. There are plenty of other configurations to be found at either a lower cost or higher price points as well, however, so prospective customers can get the a configuration they need tailored more to their specific budget range and use case.
Optional HP TB Dock G2 With Bang&Olufsen Audio
Along with its latest professional 2-in-1 laptop, HP also sent a few accessories geared toward increasing productivity for professional users. The first accessory we tested was the HP Rechargeable Active Pen, which lets you take notes, draw onscreen, and work within the Windows touch interface with stylus input. The other accessory that was included in our kit was an HP Thunderbolt Dock 120W G2. HP claims the docking station will help you reclaim your desktop by giving you one small device that can connect your laptop to dual 4K monitors, external storage and more. The docking station also has an optional speaker so you can use it for conference calls. And finally, with a built-in MAC address pass-through feature, IT can easily access your laptop when it's connected to the dock. At $296.00 USD the dock doesn't come cheap though.
HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3 With Optional Stylus Pen
As a business class model, the HP EliteBook x360 1030 can't just deliver on performance and style alone. It has to have a reasonable level of security features to boot. With that in mind, the laptop comes standard with facial recognition as well as a finger print reader. There's also BIOS protection, Intel Boot Guard and an optional built-in privacy screen, so prying eyes can't see your sensitive data, whether in flight or at the coffee shop. However, if somehow the guy in seat B-3 does see what's on your screen, HP didn't include a cyanide pill. Sorry, you're on your own and your existence will likely be disavowed.
You can find all the rest of the specifications and features of the HP EliteBook x360 1030 here below...
HP EliteBook x360 1030 (Gen 3)
Specifications & Features
Processor
Intel® CoreTM i7-8650U processor with Intel® UHD graphics 620 (1.9 GHz base frequency, up to 3.9 GHz with Intel®
Turbo Boost Technology, 8 MB cache, 4 cores)
Display
13.3" diagonal FHD IPS eDP + PSR BrightView LED-backlit touch screen, direct bonded with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4, 400 cd/m², 100% sRGB (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
Integrated:
Intel® UHD Graphics 620
Memory
16 GB DDR4-2133 SDRAM (onboard)
Storage
512 GB PCIe® NVMe™ M.2 SSD
Audio
Bang & Olufsen, 4 Premium stereo speakers, integrated multi array microphone
Ethernet
USB Type-C connector (optional)
Wireless Connectivity
Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2x2) Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® 4.2 Combo
Interface
2 Thunderbolt™ (USB Type-C™ connector)
1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 (charging)
1 headphone/microphone combo
1 HDMI 1.4
1 External Nano SIM slot for WWAN
Webcam
1080p FHD camera; IR Camera
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64-Bit
Battery
HP Long Life 4-cell, 56 Wh Li-ion
Dimensions
12.04 x 8.07 x 0.62 in (30.58 x 20.5 x 1.58 cm)
Weight
Starting at 2.76 lb (Starting at 1.25 kg)
Manufacturer Warranty
HP Services offers a 1-year limited warranty and 90 day software limited warranty options depending on country.
The HP EliteBook x360 1030 we tested is pricey, but there are configuration options to lower its price point depending on your needs. You can chose from either a Core i5, or Core i7 processor and you can pick the amount of memory you need, as well as the storage capacity of the SSD. Be careful with the memory though. The machine's DDR4 RAM comes soldered to the motherboard, so it can't be upgrade later. It's the one area we wouldn't recommend trying to save some scratch on. Get what you need, if not more than you need, to leave yourself some headroom for the future. There are also four display options to chose from that range from FHD to a UHD 4K display. All four display options are strapped with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 technology for added protection, and our unit came touch enabled.
If you're in the market for a 2-in-1 convertible for work, school or general home use in the new year, jump to the next page to see what the HP EliteBook x360 1030 brings to the table in terms of build quality and user experience...
