HP unveils ZBook X2, an expensive 2-in-1 for graphic artists

[Shawn Knight]

HP at the Adobe Max conference on Wednesday pulled the sheet back on a purpose-driven, professional-grade 2-in-1 that’s sure to appeal to some (so long as you can look past the high price tag).

The HP ZBook X2, labeled as the world’s most powerful detachable PC and the world’s first detachable workstation, was crafted with artists, designers and digital imaging professionals in mind. It features a 14-inch, 4K IPS DreamColor display driven by up to an Intel Core i7-8650U processor, 32GB of DDR4 RAM, Nvidia Quadro M620 graphics and a 2TB PCIe NVMe M.2 solid-state drive.

Considering the hardware at play, it’s no surprise that the machine is actively cooled.

Dongles won’t be a necessity here as the ZBook X2 packs two USB 3.1 Type-C Thunderbolt 3 ports as well as an HDMI 1.4 port, a USB 3.0 port and a combination headphone / microphone jack. There’s also an SD card reader, dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, a built-in kickstand and dual 720p cameras – all running your choice of Windows 10 Home or Pro (or, FreeDOS 2.0).

In addition to the keyboard, the system also comes with a Wacom-infused stylus supporting 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. The slate itself weighs a hefty 3.64 pounds and when you throw on the backlit keyboard, you’re look at around 4.78 pounds. It is also designed to meet MIL-STD-810G durability standards, a factor that likely contributes to some of its heft.

HP is clearly targeting those with deep pockets as the ZBook X2 starts at $1,749 (you’ll pay a lot more if you want a high-end configuration). If you’ve got the money and are looking for a seemingly solid alternative to the Surface Book 2 or Surface Pro, this is certainly worth a look.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/71474-hp-unveils-zbook-x2-expensive-2-1-graphic.html

 

[JaredTheDragon]

If the pen supports tilt, it would be a leapfrog over the Surface (as far as I know, it still doesn't.) Perhaps we'll see a more consumer-grade version in the future, as most people won't need the mil-spec rigidity in an art studio or at home.

 

[texasrattler]

If the pen supports tilt, it would be a leapfrog over the Surface (as far as I know, it still doesn't.) Perhaps we'll see a more consumer-grade version in the future, as most people won't need the mil-spec rigidity in an art studio or at home.

Just as the Surface All in One, it's cartering to a specific group of ppl. They do have a consumer grade, it's called the Spectre. They also have or at least had the Split X2. Any of those would do just fine as a lesser alternative.

The price isn't all that much, considering the MS surface sells high and/or it's no different than catering to gamers. They command a premium for those, this would be no different. They are just catering to designers, will those sell as well as the gaming models, probably not but you wont ever know till you sell a product which is what HP is doing. HP also has a stronger line than MS which will help it.