HPVERDICT
If you don't mind not having a touchscreen, this sleek, lightweight, quiet notebook is a super device. At 2.27lbs, 12.5 inches, and 2560 x 1440 QHD resolution, you'll thoroughly enjoy using this laptop.
PROS:
- Weight
- Design
CONS:
- No touchscreen
- Annoying ForcePad
HP's EliteBook lineup probably isn't the first laptop you think of when you decide to upgrade. The 2013 HP EliteBook 820 G1 was a sturdy and easy-to-use powerhouse marred by a short battery life and a pedestrian design. Last year's HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G1 featured a super-sleek design, with a cruddy 1600 x 900 display, and the HP ZBook 14 was a beefy workhorse with a drag design.
With so many other fantastic notebooks, UltraBooks and 2-in-1s on the market - such as the near-perfectSamsung Ativ Book 9 Plus and solid units like theLenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon and the Dell XPS 13 - HP would have to come out swinging in 2015 if it wanted to compete.
The HP EliteBook 1020 G1 Special Edition does just that.
Specs and design
The EliteBook 1020 G1 Special Edition is one of the lightest business-class notebooks on the market, thanks to Intel's Core M processor, which enables the EliteBook Special Edition to cool itself without a spinning blade. Built with green carbon fiber, the Special Edition is pleasant to the touch and easily navigable.
At 2.27lbs it bests the Dell XPS by .80lbs, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon by .90lbs and the Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus by a full pound. However, in order to maintain the laptop's minimal weight, the Special Edition won't be touch-screen enabled, which will likely bum out anyone who read our Windows 10 preview.
Other than a touchscreen, HP didn't skimp on any other display features. The Special Edition sports a 12.5-inch, 2560 x 1440 QHD display, which creates images whose colors are vibrant and deep, but perhaps not as hyper-realistic as some other units. For example: the aforementioned Samsung's resolution tops out at 3200 x 1800, as does the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro.
Features
The Special Edition's premium keyboard will delight anyone who uses it. Not unlike the MacBook Pro, the Special Edition's keys are evenly spaced, perfectly heightened and sit atop an ergonomically appropriate touchpad. The Special Edition is an ideal laptop for all-day comfort and use. Unfortunately, because the Special Edition only comes with 9 hours of battery life, you'll have to stay charged to work for long stretches.
I'm not the biggest fan of ForcePad technology, which removes the clicking aspect of the touchpad. Rather than scroll over an item and press down to select it, the ForcePad only requires a simple tap. I don't know about you, but I mistakenly tap my touchpad a hundred times a day without realizing it. If I accidentally tap on the ForcePad while hovering over a link, I will open a page I didn't intend to open. Not my cup of tea.
Security-minded buyers will be happy to know the device is fully-loaded with HP's fingerprint reader, TouchPoint Manager, Sure Start BIOS and Client Security. Other than Dell units, you're not likely to find another laptop with as much impressive proprietary security pre-installed.
Connections are pretty standard on the Special Edition: you'll get an HDMI port, two USB ports and a MicroSD reader. The Special Edition has a docking port that can power up to two displays.
The model comes with 180 or 256GB of storage and is available in April.
Early verdict
There are some obvious limitations to the HP EliteBook 1020 G1 Special Edition. Touchscreen advocates won't even look at this machine, and resolution junkies are going to prefer units from Samsung and Lenovo.
Backed by HP's proprietary security features, the Special Edition won't easily be hacked. And anyone who uses it for long stretches at a time will enjoy the keyboard and the quiet, fanless design.
HP has yet to disclose the price of the Special Edition, so we'll have to wait to factor that into our assessment. Taken at face value, HP has built a super lightweight laptop with a sexy design that can display brilliant images. The HP EliteBook 1020 G1 Special Edition isn't a perfect laptop, but it is effective and enjoyable.
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