HP EliteBook Revolve 810 first impressions

HP EliteBook Revolve 810 first impressions: Solid convertible notebook

HP has long served up good laptops for the enterprise and the 11.6-inch EliteBook Revolve is a highly portable model for the business professional. Its styling is reminiscent of the convertible notebooks of old with a screen that swivels around to form a touch tablet.  

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Closed
When you tap the closed lid of the Revolve it feels like cheap plastic but in reality the laptop meets the MIL specifications for ruggedness. The construction is durable yet the laptop only weighs in at just over three pounds to keep things light. The 11.6-inch screen means the Revolve is only slightly bigger than the industry standard for size, the MacBook Air.  
Hardware specifications as reviewed
  • CPU: Intel Core i5 (not Haswell), 1.9GHz
  • Memory: 4GB
  • Storage: 128GB (SSD)
  • OS: Windows 8
  • Display: 11.6-inch (1366x768) 
  • Networking: Intel 802.11a/b/g/n + Bluetooth
  • Ports: 2 USB 3.0; DisplayPort; headphone/microphone combo; power; docking connector; RJ-45
  • Slot: microSD
  • Camera: 720p webcam
  • Dimensions: 8.34 x 11.22 x 0.80 in (212 x 285 x 22.2 mm)
  • Weight: 3.08 lb (1.4 kg)
  • Battery: 6-cell Polymer Battery (44 WHr), up to 8 hours
  • Price: $1,449
Twisty screen
Swivel screen mid-swivel
The HP EliteBook Revolve is an old-school convertible notebook with a screen that swivels around to cover the keyboard. In this configuration it is a decent touch tablet (no pen support), although it's a bit heavy to use for extended periods.

Update: HP has informed me that the Revolve does support the pen but requires the purchase of a $49 pen from HP.

The keyboard is quite good which makes the Revolve a decent laptop with a touch screen to take full advantage of Windows 8. Windows is controlled handily with the touch screen, keyboard, and responsive touchpad. 

The display is not high resolution (1366x768) but it works well with the relatively small screen (11.6in). The viewing angles are reasonable and the swivel screen allows working in a variety of configurations. The hinge is easy to move the screen around and feels durable for long-term use.
The laptop has a good range of ports as expected in a business-class device. There are two USB 3.0 ports, a DisplayPort for working with projectors, and a jack for wired ethernet connections. Controls (power, radio on/off, and volume) are on the side of the unit to be accessible in both laptop and tablet modes.

There is an optional docking station ($199) for turning the Revolve into a desktop system when docked. This dock adds four USB ports, which means it serves as a hub of sorts. HP did not supply a docking station for this review.

The HP EliteBook Revolve has the quality one comes to expect from the company's business laptop line. It is expensive compared to consumer products ($1,449) but has a lot of enterprise security features included to meet corporate requirements.
Pros:
  • Rugged construction
  • Fast
  • User-replaceable battery
  • Convertible to tablet
Cons:
  • Expensive
  • Heavy for tablet use
Previously: Lenovo puts latest ThinkPads on diet, adds hot swappable batteries 
ThinkPad Power Bridge: Putting battery life in the hands of customers
Tablet mode
Tablet configuration

Ports
Ports (Left-Right): RJ-45; USB 3.0; Lock; DisplayPort; USB 3.0; Power
Side controls
Controls (Left-Right): Power, Radio on/off; Volume rocker

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