As an agile salesperson with a busy schedule of meetings, pitches and presentations, my one key requirement in a laptop is reliability. I'll often be travelling from meeting to meeting with limited office time in between, so I need the ability to work at any time, from anywhere with ease, and trust that my laptop won't deny me this flexibility. I haven't had the best luck with regards to this over the years. I have been let down on far too many occasions during a client meeting by the unwelcome, and surprisingly unpredictable, drained battery.
I'm currently three days into using my new HP Elite X2 1012, and the battery life has been the first aspect to pleasantly surprise me. So far, I haven't even had to reach for the charger, despite unreservedly using it for a combination of writing emails, watching videos and designing presentations.
I'll be honest and admit that looks really do matter - when it comes to my laptop anyway. My role requires me to be presentable and there is nothing that ruins my professional style more than accessorising with a chunky, unattractive brick of a computer. Luckily the Elite X2 is a stunning device - housed in a sleek, matte aluminum casing, with glossy black detailing. I'm now pleased to reach for my mobile device in a meeting, safe in the knowledge that it's more likely to receive nods and comments of approval, rather than sniggers and jokes.
With previous devices, I've actively avoided taking them away from my desk at the end of the day for fear of being weighed down on my journey home. I want to be productive on the go, but without the back strain which comes with carrying a heavy, bulky device and this sentiment is certainly shared with the rest of my team. The lightness and portability makes me actually want to take it home, and look forward to using it at home as my personal device too. While it does feel ever so slightly heavier than some other hybrid devices I have encountered, it does feel reassuringly durable, making it a sound choice for someone like me, who will often be rushing between locations.
This leads me onto the aspect I have been most impressed with so far - the flexibility. I've used a variety of 2-in-1 devices before but felt they never quite reached the full potential in each mode. I have since reverted back to using separate laptop and tablet devices, favouring to use them respectively to serve different purposes for both work and leisure. However, HP's Elite X2 2-in-1 eliminates this need by providing the best of both worlds. Over the past few days, I have just as easily made notes on a group presentation using the detachable keyboard coupled with the stylus, as I have settled down to catch up on my favourite television programme at home using the device in tablet mode.
Initial impressions are that the Elite X2 is a great piece of kit and a dream to use for someone who is frequently out and about and needs to be able to fall back on technology in multiple use scenarios. The real test will come next week, when I will be using the device for a full client proposal, right the way through from design to presentation. I'll be reporting back on that in my next blog post.
