LAS VEGAS - The HP Pavilion x2 wants to be loved for the sum of its parts. Available in February, this $499, 12-inch device switches between laptop and tablet with the help of powerful magnets and a keyboard dock. Some detachables, like Microsoft’s Surface Book, have dedicated buttons or latches to unlock their displays from their keyboards, but the Pavilion’s magnets do all of the work.
The 12-inch tablet portion of the Pavilion weighs just 1.6 pounds and is 0.33 inches thick. The keyboard dock brings the full weight of the system to 3.23 pounds and is 0.6 inches thick. During our hands-on time with the computer, we liked the heft of the keyboard dock; it feels substantial enough to balance on your lap. The dock features a 2.1 x 3.85-inch touchpad and 1.5mm of key travel on the keyboard.
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During our hands-on time, the magnets on the keyboard dock made it really easy for us to guide the tablet into the right position and were strong enough that we could pick up the PC by the display without the keyboard dock detaching. You can put the tablet in the dock backwards to use it in display mode. Based on our initial impressions, the HP Pavilion x2’s 12-inch full HD display (1920 x 1080) looked bright and colorful.
There will be multiple configuration options of the Pavilion, including an Intel Atom Cherry Trail processor with 128GB eMMC storage or a Core m processor with either a 128GB or 256GB of SSD storage. Any configuration you choose will come with front-facing B&O Play speakers and a USB Type-C connector for for charging (data transfer will be limited to USB 3.0 speeds). It also has a USB 2.0 port and a micro HDMI port for external monitors. HP claims that the device will have up to eight hours of battery life.
We can see this detachable PC being used as a lightweight entertainment device and occasional workhorse, thanks to its sturdy keyboard dock, making it a potentially strong choice for students. Stay tuned for our full review.
