HP ZBook x2 Announced – Powerful 32GB Intel Core i7 2-in-1 Tablet For Pro Digital Artists, Photographers, Video Editors

HP have surprised us all by announcing the HP ZBook x2, a very powerful Windows 10 2-in-1 tablet with 32GB of RAM made for professional digital artists, photographers, and video editors. Although a few gamers might adopt this block of power too, considering the graphics credentials ZBook x2 has. https://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-zbook-x2-g4-detachable-workstation

HP ZBook x2 (pronounced HP Zee-book ex-two), will be launched a couple of weeks from now, starting at $1749. As for category, this tablet is like “the new Vaio Z Canvas” which was the first consumer type of 2-in-1 tablets with emphasis on huge graphics power. With front facing buttons, and a chunky design, it won't be the first choice for those who instead want a powerful and mobile Windows 10 2-in-1 tablet, as there are plenty of thin and good ones in that category already. The thickness for the tablet is 14.6mm with a weight of 3.59 pounds or 1628 grams. Fortunately, with a weight like that, it has a built-in kickstand.

On a side note, the HP ZBook x2 is also the first 8-corner tablet I've seen since the Linshof Performance Tablet, a planned tablet in 2014 that was canceled before launch.

HP Zbook x2
HP Zbook x2

Processor options for ZBook x2 are Intel Core i5 8250U, i7 7500U, 7600U, 8550U, and 8650U processors, with RAM options ranging from 8GB, and 16GB, to as much as 32GB of DDR4 RAM at 2133 MHz. SSD storage range from 128GB, to 256GB, 512GB, and 2TB.

The GPU options are either the standard Intel HD Graphics 620, or a more powerful Nvidia Quadro M620.

Being a graphics tablet, it has to have a higher resolution display than a Amazon Fire 7 tablet, so the HP ZBook x2 can show off with a 14-inch screen with a 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160. This touchscreen has support for a custom HP designed Wacom technology 4096 pressure level sensitive pen. And the display is a color accurate Dreamcolor display with an incredible 1 billion colors.

Other main specs that sets this tablet apart, are 2x USB 3.1 Type C ports with Thunderbolt 3.

It also has a backlit keyboard of course and a IR front camera and fingerprint reader, but this is pretty normal on Windows 10 2-in-1 flagship tablets right now, and far from exclusive to HP.

This keyboard can also be detached and still work wirelessly via Bluetooth though, so that's something of a novelty for 2-in-1 tablets right now.

All in all, the HP ZBook x2 is a pretty amazing Windows tablet and the type of portable computer that made tablets great products in the first place.

– Tom Bowen