HP's innovative and durable, but by now dated, Tablet PC convertible gets one more tech upgrade
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

In February of 2011, HP introduced the HP Elitebook 2760p, an attractive, albeit traditional Tablet PC convertible and successor to the earlier 2710p, 2730p and 2740p. While the Compaq name is long gone and only little remains of the HP/Compaq tc1100's re-interpretation of Compaq's fabulous "Concerto" pen convertible of the mid 1990s, the Elitebook 2760p remains an elegant, unique machine that does, in some respects, carry on some of the Compaq pen computing DNA and history, but now with far more powerful 2nd gen Intel Core i5 and i7 processors.

Unlike the original and very unique and innovative tc1100, the Elitebook uses the common notebook convertible design with the rotating LCD case hinge. Long gone also are the super-frugal but non-standard chip and digitizer solutions of prior Compaq/HP slates, all replaced with more common chip and digitizer fare. As a result, the 2760p is a much faster and entirely more pleasant machine, though some will miss the unconventional yet more purposeful tablet design of the older machines.

As is, the 2760p is almost exactly the same as the predecessor 2740p, but it offers a choice of Intel 2nd generation (Sandy Bridge) mobile Core i5/i7 processorswith base speeds ranging from 2.20 to 2.80GHz. I say "base speeds" because one of the 2nd gen Intel' Core processors' interesting features is "TurboBoost," a technology that automatically overclocks the processor under certain circumstances. Interestingly, while the old 2730p used low voltage or ultra-low voltage versions of the Intel Core 2 Duo processors, the new 2760p uses standard voltage chips running at much higher clock speeds. That's good for performance, and with the 2nd gen provessoer's excellent power management, it doesn't come at the expense of battery life.

The wide-format WXGA (1280 x 800 pixel) 12.1-inch display with antiglare coating and an LED backlight remains, as is the optionally available sunlight-viewable version. With Windows 7's touch support and the immense popularity of multi-touch, HP offers the 2760p with either just a digitizer or a digitizer/multi-touch dual input setup.

Base memory remains at 2GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM in two slots, and you can bump it up to a full 16GB. Quick 7200rpm SATA disks now also have larger capacities (250 or 320GB instead of the old 160 or 250GB drives), or you can opt for a Solid State Drive that's now also available in larger sizes (128, 160, and 256GB). Wireless functionality is now provided via a variety of Intel or Broadcom 802.11 modules, a Bluetooth 2.1 module, and optional HP Mobile Broadband (powered by Gobi) that also includes GPS. Somewhat surprisingly for a machine this size, there is no internal optical drive but HP offers a SuperMulti DL drive in the HP 2740 Ultra-Slim Expansion Base.

The 2760p has a compact footprint of 11.4 x 8.35 inches and it is just 1.25 inches thick. Weight starts about 4 pounds. Documentation suggests a full-size" QWERTY layout, and like the earlier 2740p, the new machine has both a touchpad and a pointstick. The pen can be stowed away in a garage on the left rear. A nice touch is the "HP Night Light" that illuminates the keyboard. it pops out from the top of the LCD and is completely unobtrusive.

For security, the 2760p has a fingerprint reader, a Smart Card reader, a TPM 1.2 module, a Kensington lock slot, and several levels of software protection.

While the Elitebook 2760p is not a rugged machine, it is definitely durable thanks to a magnesium-alloy enclosure, chemically-strengthened glass in front of the LCD, and goodies like HP DuraKeys and 3D DriveGuard. HP claims MIL-STD-810G testing compliance in several areas (dust, altitude, high temperature, etc.) without offering specifics.

A convertible laptop platform once considered sleek and quite futuristic, this latest 2760p is large large and heavy in today's market of ultrabooks and sleek tablets. It remains quite functional, though, is a great performer, and can be found at attractive prices.