Meet the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3
It's meant as a compliment to say this business convertible is so compact that I briefly mistook it for a Chromebook.
Flipped Around
The system has passed MIL-STD tests for toughness, and there's no flex when you grasp its screen corners or mash its keys. In fact, when you fold it into tablet mode, magnets snap the screen into place to give you a firm surface for writing or sketching.
Flat-Out Light
Clad in a snazzy CNC-machined aluminum unibody, this latest trim of the EliteBook x360 weighs in at 2.76 pounds and measures 0.62 by 12 by 8.1 inches.
Silver Streaks
HP's stylized four-slash chrome logo decorates the lid.
Connections on the Left...
This slender edge is home to a USB 3.1 Type-A port, a headphone jack, the power button, and a nano-SIM slot for mobile broadband.
...and on the Right
On this side, you'll find an HDMI port, a cable-lockdown security slot, two Thunderbolt 3/USB Type-C ports, and a volume rocker for use in tablet mode. (The AC adapter makes use of a USB-C connector.)
The Key Layout
Apart from the arrangement of the cursor-arrow keys, the EliteBook x360's keyboard is easy to like, with adequate travel and a nice, clicky feel.
The First Two Speakers...
Speaker grilles flank the black keys.
...and the Second Two
Two additional speakers reside on the unit's bottom.
Three Types of Panel
Our test unit had a sunny IPS 1080p screen. Your other display options are a full HD panel with HP's Sure View privacy screen (which, at the press of the F2 key, darkens the panel and narrows its field of view to thwart snoops) and a 4K (3,840-by-2,160-pixel) touch display.
In Sum, a Superb 2-in-1
In everything from its travel-friendly size to its symphonic sound, the EliteBook x360 1030 G3 is a rare mix of executive status symbol and trusted workhorse.