NQ088AWABA - HP EliteBook 2730p Tablet PC Centrino 2 vPro - Intel Core 2 Duo SL9600 2.13 GHz - 12.1

This is my second HP business tablet. You can find my review of the 2710p somewhere on Amazon. The fact that this is the second HP tablet I bought should tell you something.

My model is like the one listed here, but with an outdoor screen (higher contrast for use outdoors).

The positives:

+ LOW weight. Check the specs, but having schlepped everything from a "desktop replacement" 17 inch laptop to a netbook, I can say that this thing is LIGHT.

+ LONG battery life. I haven't run down the internal battery yet, and it has gone well over 4 hours. This may have something to do with Windows 7, which I have installed. A 4+ hour battery life at this weight is awesome. I'll add the slim battery slice and probably have over 12hrs of battery life.

+ Well-built. This computer, like its predecessor the 2710p, uses lots of metal and feels solid in your hands. I abused the heck out of my 2710p, and never had any problems with any hinges, latches, screen, etc.

+ Fast. My 2710p was a 1.2GHz/4GB RAM, which felt pretty slow. This one feels very fast and responsive in comparison, and much faster than an AMD 1.9GHz dual core that I also have. With an SSD, this thing would really fly.

+ Quiet. This one is even quieter than its predecessor. The fan rarely turns on. I can take notes in meetings without the disturbing whine of the fan.

+ Screen. The screen is awesome. I can work outside in sunlight with snow on the ground. Writing on the screen is very natural feeling, like writing on paper with a good ballpoint pen.

+ The little things. Built-in camera works GREAT with any video phone/conferencing app. There is no feedback, camera quality is good, and frame rate is good at 800x600. Stylus doesn't get lost due to a friction lock (2710p stylus would pop out and wander away). Keyboard has a good feel and is full size.

The negatives:

Speakers. I didn't think the speakers could get WORSE than the 2710p, but the speaker on this thing is barely louder than a headphone removed 30ft from your head. The speakers are simply awful.

Video output. There is no DVI output. Come on HP, this thing is not a 10-year old platform, why can't you put a DVI port on this or the dock?

2 USB ports. TWO USB ports is NOT enough. Period.

Power block. The power block is small, but it could be MUCH smaller. This tablet fits great in a portfolio, but where do you stick the power block? I guess if you have the slim battery slice, you won't need the power block much, but still, it sure would be nice to have a tiny power supply BUILT IN to the laptop so that all you need was a cord. Compaq made laptops with built-in power supplies many years ago. I'd really like to see that come back.

Screen. I know I said the screen is awesome, but I'd like just a bit more real estate and higher resolution. There is about 1/2 inch all the way around the edge that they could stuff some more pixels into.

Summary:

This tablet, like its predecessor, is a winner. No, it's not a Mac, and I'm very happy about that. I don't need to be "cool" with my electronics, I need them to do what I want and how I want without paying extra for "cool" and fighting the manufacturer at every turn to get the thing to work the way _I_ want. Besides, there is no Mac tablet. Once you use a tablet, you will wonder how you got by without one. I only considered this one and a Thinkpad, because I want the touchstick mouse, which is MUCH easier to use than an external mouse or touchpad when you are in a vehicle or moving around. This one gets a nod with its add on battery that is a slim slice on the bottom instead of a bulky extension on the back. I also got burned a couple of times after Lenovo bought Thinkpad.

Get this tablet for half price from HP refurb. For less than this thing costs new, I got it with an external 24" screen, 3 year accidental damage, docking station, external keyboard, extended battery, and received it in 3 days.