HP EliteBook x360 1030 G7 review: A top-quality 13-inch 2-in-1 ultraportable Review

HP’s EliteBooks are characterised by sound establish, plentiful capabilities and businesslike layout. These attributes utilize to the EliteBook x360 1030 G7, which is a tiny, neat 13.three-inch laptop computer with a 360-degree rotating show that caters for pill-method use. My £1,618.eighty (inc. VAT £1,349 ex. VAT) evaluate model had a tremendous-shiny a thousand nit display screen and HP’s Positive Perspective safety procedure, while normal capabilities incorporate assist for stylus input via the HP Active Pen, and proximity-based login. It is really very a package. 

The HP EliteBook x360 1030 G7 is a 13.three-inch 360-degree two-in-one operating on tenth-era Intel Main processors with up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage. It weighs one.21kg.


Pictures: HP Inc

The EliteBook x360 1030 G7’s 13.three-inch display screen nestles inside of bezels that, while not the smallest, are nevertheless rather restricted, so that the in general desktop footprint is just 30.37cm by 19.39cm. It is really rather slender at one.61cm, and couldn’t get much thinner and nevertheless allow for area for full-sizing ports. Probably a shade could be taken off the thickness of the lid, but the trade-off in this article is a pretty sound display screen area which I found difficult to flex.  

If all this appears a very little workaday, then it can be well worth noting that there are tiny angled nicks out of the back brief edges and the corresponding lid edges, which create a V-formed finish to the back of the chassis. It is really a tiny attribute, but distinctive.  

When you eventually get the likelihood to travel or commute, the EliteBook x360 1030 G7 will slip neatly into the smallest of backpacks or instances, and it can be somewhat light-weight at one.21kg. The electricity offer is mid-sized and not specially significant. 

The silver metallic all about the chassis might benefit from a protecting sleeve as it could be vulnerable to scratches from bag detritus. But the genuine bugbear when it comes to travelling may effectively be the Active Pen. This is much as well big to lodge in a housing on the chassis itself, and so will want to be carried individually. Do not forget about to acquire it out with you or bring it house. It fixes to the still left edge of the chassis via magnets that never appear evenly dispersed: grip is firmer at the entrance of the chassis than the back. 

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HP’s Active Pen comes into enjoy in pill method, but there is nowhere to stow the stylus inside the chassis — it attaches magnetically to the still left side.


Image: Sandra Vogel / ZDNet

It is really straightforward to shift from laptop computer to tent or pill method, and the hinges are sound sufficient to maintain the display screen in any essential orientation. It is really often a concern when the keyboard would not lock out for pill use: it can be recessed sufficient to sit securely on a desktop, but holding the EliteBook x360 1030 G7 in just one hand will inevitably utilize tension to the keys which could, around time, induce a dilemma. That’s not special to this laptop computer, of class, but one thing to be knowledgeable of nevertheless.  

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As at any time there are many configurations of the EliteBook x360 1030 G7 out there. My evaluate device came with an FHD (one,920 x one,080) IPS show with an impressive a thousand nits greatest brightness. In accordance to the online data sheet there are also UHD (three,840 x two,a hundred and sixty) IPS and AMOLED solutions, even though these are not out there on HP’s United kingdom website at the time of creating. 

You want the FHD panel to get HP’s Sure Perspective, which shields on-display screen facts from prying eyes. Positive Perspective is toggled with a straightforward Fn vital press, was existing on my evaluate device, and labored effectively for rendering the display screen unreadable from the sides, even though content material is nevertheless readable from powering. When in use, Positive Perspective dims the display screen for head-on viewing, but the degree to which that’s recognizable depends on the acuteness of the screen’s angle, and the result can be practically entirely mitigated if the right angle is chosen. 

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You can find a good set of Bang and Olufsen speakers, whose grilles are organized to the still left and correct of the keyboard in what is now a familiar EliteBook technique. Audio is pushed upwards toward the person, but that’s not the conclude of it: a next pair of grilles sits on the underside of the chassis, positioned cautiously on the upward angle at the entrance so that they can blast some seem out when you’re performing in pill method. Audio excellent is rather excellent: there is a great deal of bass in music and movie content material, even though excellent does diminish as quantity raises. 

There is a proximity sensor previously mentioned the display screen, which is utilised to provide a few of neat capabilities. Walk Absent Lock utilizes the proximity sensor to detect when you have still left the instant vicinity of the laptop computer, whereupon it routinely locks it down. Consumers can configure how extended the laptop computer waits before it locks working with a slider bar. Presence Mindful will detect if anyone is nearby and switch the display screen on, completely ready for you to quickly log in. If Home windows Good day is configured, the proximity sensor will allow for buyers to login routinely as they technique the laptop computer. 

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The keyboard, flanked by speaker grilles, is responsive but quiet in procedure.


Image: Sandra Vogel / ZDNet

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The fingerprint reader is crafted into a vital on the bottom row of the keyboard.


Image: Sandra Vogel / ZDNet  

The backlit, spill-resistant keyboard is exceptional. Keys spring back properly soon after currently being pressed, and as a light-weight-touch typist I designed practically no noise at all while performing. Even when I intentionally typed additional greatly, all I heard was a somewhat quiet ‘clacking’. Fn keys are big sufficient, and as effectively as the Positive Perspective vital there is a vital that toggles a actual physical cover for the webcam, and yet another that can be set to launch purposes, open folders or specific information, or launch a specific web-site. It can be configured for four different actions — solo and in conjunction with the Change, Ctrl and Alt keys. 

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The Fn vital row involves a programmable vital and a toggle for the webcam cover.


Image: Sandra Vogel / ZDNet    

In the meantime the fingerprint sensor is neatly accommodated on the bottom row, to the correct of the area bar, while the arrow keys are big — HP has even fitted in full-sizing still left and correct arrow keys. It is really a neat, ergonomic set up complemented by a big and responsive touchpad with an embedded NFC area. 

The EliteBook x360 1030 G7 operates Home windows ten Professional on tenth era Intel processors instead than the most up-to-date eleventh era chips. My evaluate device had a pretty capable Core i7-10510U with built-in Intel UHD Graphics, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB PCIe NVMe TLC SSD. The data sheet implies you can go up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of PCIe NVMe TLC SSD storage, but there is no discrete GPU selection.  

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Remaining side (major): USB three.one, three.5mm headset jack. Proper side (previously mentioned): USB three.one, HDMI, 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt three.


Pictures: Sandra Vogel / ZDNet  

There should have been a SIM slot on the still left edge of my evaluate model, for it to thoroughly meet the specs of the £1,618.eighty (inc. VAT £1,349 ex. VAT) off-the-shelf model that it replicated in each and every other way. Still, the EliteBook x360 1030 G7 is rather effectively appointed for ports and connectors. The correct edge has a USB three.one port, a full-sizing HDMI connector and two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt three, just one of which is occupied when the laptop computer is charging. On the still left there is a next USB three.one port and a three.5mm headset jack.  

The three-mobile, 53Wh battery is in all probability excellent for all-day performing for many know-how workers. My standard 3-hour rundown take a look at observed it fall 29{d11068cee6a5c14bc1230e191cd2ec553067ecb641ed9b4e647acef6cc316fdd} from a full demand, in the course of which period I wrote into web apps, streamed movie and audio, and did a lot of web browsing.  

Conclusions

The HP EliteBook X360 1030 G7 is a pretty serviceable 13.three-inch two-in-one laptop computer. Whilst it would not use the most up-to-date eleventh era Intel processors and would not offer you discrete graphics, there is much else that pleases. Positive Perspective is a excellent safety attribute, the webcam cover is handy, and it can be intelligent to management this via the keyboard. Pretty clever use of a proximity sensor provides even more system safety via automatic log off and log on.  

The keyboard is a satisfaction to use, the establish excellent is strong, and the Active Pen stylus, while it would not stow on the laptop computer, is also productive. If you’re searching for a 13.three-inch convertible laptop computer with a great deal of capabilities and all-day battery daily life, the EliteBook x360 1030 G7 is well worth shortlisting.

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