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REVIEW: HP Elite X2 1012 G2

Dubai - If you're always on-the-go or can do without a keyboard, here's one powerful device for you

Gitex Shopper 2017 is over, but if sales of laptops are any indication - especially in the 2-in-1 segment - it looks like we're headed towards more exciting times.
2-in-1s are getting more powerful, more flexible and more portable, so it's understandable the competition is heating up. And HP's Elite X2 1012 G2 is more than happy to join in the fun.
The successor to the already sturdy G1 packs some more powerful punches. For starters, it has Intel's latest 7th-generation processors - Kaby Lake, as it is codenamed - so its performance wasn't in question; it's fast and can handle multitasking (which I am obsessed with) pretty easily. And if you stuff in a lot of files in your machine, the G2 has up to four times the storage of its predecessor.
It has a crisp and bright display, with a touch screen that boasts a 2736 x 1824 resolution, and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4.
Of course, we cannot forget that the Elite X2 is detachable, meaning you can do away with the keyboard and have fun without it. The magnet that connects the screen to the keyboard is quite tough, which ensures that you won't get any wobbly feeling even if you carry it around holding the latter. (A bit tough, actually; there were times that I had to use an extra amount of force to detach the thing.) And if you're not fond of tablets, there's always the good ol' kickstand that allows you to just place the device wherever so you can sit back and relax. There's also an option to use the HP Active Pen, which uses Wacom tech and
At a 'thickness' of only 8mm, it's ready to rumble with the thinnest out there, and it's got a well-rounded arsenal of ports, including a USB Type-C with Thunderbolt support, USB 3.0, micro-USB, SIM card slot and 3.5mm audio jack, which makes sure it can handle practically anything you need to slap in - except for a device that requires an HDMI connection, which I sometimes need when I want to connect my device to a TV for, say, watching a movie or playing some game.
This machine promises over 10 hours of battery life - you can say it's standard issue in this category - plus a quick-charging feature that zips up its juice to the halfway mark in just half-an-hour. It definitely holds up to that level with mixed normal use, though the thing is, when I played a string of movies at full brightness, it conked out at a hairline over six hours.
 
AND SO.
What's not to like about the HP Elite X2 1012 G2? Well, honestly, not much. It could have, however, done better with battery life that's a bit longer. The style and form is beautiful, and I almost forgot to mention that the trackpad is very responsive. At its price point, it's a fair deal; in its tablet form, its great especially for those of you who are either always on-the-go or looking for a convenient way to crunch stuff or view things sans a keyboard.
 
THE LOWDOWN