HP SlateBook x2 - Android 4.2, Tegra 4, 64gb, dock, $479 all-in!

[Ravynmagi]

I think it's bad form to associate developer conferences as just a place to get free stuff.

Yeah, I'm hoping this was Google's intention. I heard the Galaxy S4 only got a minute or so of time. Maybe Google felt the hardware announcements were taking away from the developer focus of the event. And will talk about new hardware later (and hopefully not much later).

 

[Ravynmagi]

Regardless of release date the Nexus 4's in drastic need of a replacement.

This can pretty much be said of any 6 month old phone. I don't think I want to see Google refreshing the Nexus phone every 6 months just because something came out in between with a higher resolution screen.

I think the S4 Pro is very competitive with the S600 (aren't the almost the same processor?). The 720p display still looks good.

And we saw what happened with the previous LTE Nexus phones, those phones got messed with by Sprint and Verizon and get their updates months after the regular Nexus phone. They don't really seem to be real Nexus phones at all.

For $300/$350, the Nexus is still a damn good phone today.

 

[kevinsbane]

Starting at
$479.

Hm. I'm guessing that to get anything beyond your basic 16 gb, bare bones model (without dock) will cost an arm and a leg.

 

[dagamer34]

Yeah, I'm hoping this was Google's intention. I heard the Galaxy S4 only got a minute or so of time. Maybe Google felt the hardware announcements were taking away from the developer focus of the event. And will talk about new hardware later (and hopefully not much later).

Considering the success of the Nexus 7, I think that its successor is important enough to qualify for its own event. Nexus smartphones certainly have had that treatment for that for awhile.

 

[ams23]

Hands on with SlateBook x2 at SlashGear (with a web page load comparison test vs. Nexus 10): http://www.slashgear.com/hp-slatebook-x2-tablet-with-tegra-4-hands-on-21282871/

 

[Red Storm]

The N10 got smoked lol.

Still, I'll wait for the next Asus Transformer.

 

[Ravynmagi]

Considering the success of the Nexus 7, I think that its successor is important enough to qualify for its own event. Nexus smartphones certainly have had that treatment for that for awhile.

Hmm... Not even the iPad gets it's own event though. I have a feeling Google is going the opposite direction and it'll be more low key, maybe no event and just some press release. *shrug*

 

[Ravynmagi]

Hands on with SlateBook x2 at SlashGear (with a web page load comparison test vs. Nexus 10): http://www.slashgear.com/hp-slatebook-x2-tablet-with-tegra-4-hands-on-21282871/

One thing that bugs me about this test is why is the Nexus 10 using Chrome and the Tegra 4 tablets always using the AOSP browser? We know the AOSP browser is faster than Chrome. So it's hard to say how much of that difference is the new processor and how much is how much Chrome sucks. Of course these are also Nvidia controlled tests.

Tegra 4 is definitely faster, but I wish there was a more apples to apples demonstration of this.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Even AOSP browser performs differently across version. JavaScript benchmarks are the bane of mobile performance testing.

 

[ams23]

One thing that bugs me about this test is why is the Nexus 10 using Chrome and the Tegra 4 tablets always using the AOSP browser?

This comparison appears to be using the default browser on each device (which happens to be Chrome on the Nexus 10), which is what most consumers will end up using in the real world. That said, I would think that most of the differences in web page load speed are due to the fact that T4 SoC uses a quad A15 CPU core while Exynos 5 Dual SoC uses a dual A15 CPU core.

 

[Ravynmagi]

This comparison appears to be using the default browser on each device (which happens to be Chrome on the Nexus 10), which is what most consumers will end up using in the real world. That said, I would think that most of the differences in web page load speed are due to the fact that T4 SoC uses a quad A15 CPU core while Exynos 5 Dual SoC uses a dual A15 CPU core.

Both browsers are available on both tablets. And I doubt the AOSP browser will be the default browser on the Slatebook X2. Chrome will likely be the default for both tablets. I think Nvidia is intentionally using the AOSP browser because it is faster.

 

[sontin]

Is Chrome not the default browser for Android since a few versions? Or only with Google devices?

 

[Red Storm]

Is Chrome not the default browser for Android since a few versions? Or only with Google devices?

Only with Nexus devices.

Does the Nexus 10 even have the AOSP browser? I only remember using Chrome on it.

 

[ChronoReverse]

I think the S4 Pro is very competitive with the S600 (aren't the almost the same processor?). The 720p display still looks good.

It's definitely very competitive but the tweaks make the S600 maybe 15-30% faster clock for clock on top of a 25% frequency boost for the GS4 (as a point of comparison, the A15 in GS4 is about 30% faster clock for clock over the S600 in the GS4).

 

[dagamer34]

Hmm... Not even the iPad gets it's own event though. I have a feeling Google is going the opposite direction and it'll be more low key, maybe no event and just some press release. *shrug*

Since 2011, Apple no longer mixes developer events with product launches.

 

[Joe1986]

Is there an hdmi out? One thing that is needed in these docking solutions is the ability to hook up a monitor to them. Or multiple monitors.

yes http://www8.hp.com/us/en/ads/x2/compare.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymxgrEEUP5I

 

[ams23]

Both browsers are available on both tablets.

Yes, but the vast majority of consumers will use the default browser, and the default browser will be extremely fast on all T4 devices (including SlateBook x2, Shield, etc). As an academic exercise, it makes sense to compare like browsers. As a real world exercise, it makes sense to compare default browsers.

 

[Ravynmagi]

Yes, but the vast majority of consumers will use the default browser, and the default browser will be extremely fast on all T4 devices (including SlateBook x2, Shield, etc). As an academic exercise, it makes sense to compare like browsers. As a real world exercise, it makes sense to compare default browsers.

I don't doubt the default browser will be very faster.

I just think it would have been logical if doing browser tests between two Android tablets, to use the same browser.

Though I'm curious what the default browser is. Perhaps I'm under the incorrect assumption that all Android devices with Google Play installed were now using Chrome as the stock browser.

Regardless the cool thing about Android is that we get to choose our browser. So I would have liked to see the same browser used on both tablets. Nvidia is suppose to be demonstrating how awesome the Tegra 4 is, not how terrible Chrome is.

 

[Raduque]

Sigh. I was interested till I hit "Tegra4". F you nVidia.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Only with Nexus devices.

Does the Nexus 10 even have the AOSP browser? I only remember using Chrome on it.

it does not have Browser, but Browser comes with CM, so that's what I'm using sometimes.

 

[UNCjigga]

Well, it looks like HP has now finally released the Slatebook x2 and the specs are a bit more down to earth. Still looks like a decent tablet option, but nowhere near the Chromebook/Windows RT killer it initially appeared to be.

Gone is the 64GB default SSD and it's now only 16GB by default.

Battery life is now 8-10 hours vs. 12 hours initially quoted.

Also, HP's spec page lists the CPU as a Tegra 4 T40S with "Intel HD Graphics". Is HP serious, or is that just crazy talk???

 

[lopri]

Thank you for the follow-up! You are truly a dedicated OP.

Yah the specs page has got to be a poor cut-and-paste job. Nothing makes sense in that page. lol.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/en_US/hom...ook_x2/buynow9

Especially,

Up to 10 hours (tablet only); Up to 8 hours (tablet and keyboard*)

*keyboard doubles as a spare battery

 

[Ravynmagi]

Well, it looks like HP has now finally released the Slatebook x2 and the specs are a bit more down to earth. Still looks like a decent tablet option, but nowhere near the Chromebook/Windows RT killer it initially appeared to be.

Gone is the 64GB default SSD and it's now only 16GB by default.

Battery life is now 8-10 hours vs. 12 hours initially quoted.

Also, HP's spec page lists the CPU as a Tegra 4 T40S with "Intel HD Graphics". Is HP serious, or is that just crazy talk???

Why would these specs make it not Windows RT or Chromebook killer?

Currently we have really low end laptops with super cheap displays as Chromebooks or an obscenely expensive Chrome Pixel that most of us can't afford. And people still feel uncomfortable being stuck doing everything with just a browser.

Then there is Windows RT. Well Microsoft has already done a fine job killing these. Nobody wanted to spend $500 on this poor machine with yesterday's processor and yesterday's resolution.

This Slatebook X2 isn't going to be the most uber Android tablet. But the Tegra 4 definitely looks pretty good and the 1920x1200 resolution display pretty nice. And a keyboard included for $480. More expensive than those $250 Chromebooks, but I just can't stand those low resolution TN displays with horrible viewing angles, so a Slatebook is well worth the price difference.

 

[dagamer34]

Why would these specs make it not Windows RT or Chromebook killer?

Currently we have really low end laptops with super cheap displays as Chromebooks or an obscenely expensive Chrome Pixel that most of us can't afford. And people still feel uncomfortable being stuck doing everything with just a browser.

Then there is Windows RT. Well Microsoft has already done a fine job killing these. Nobody wanted to spend $500 on this poor machine with yesterday's processor and yesterday's resolution.

This Slatebook X2 isn't going to be the most uber Android tablet. But the Tegra 4 definitely looks pretty good and the 1920x1200 resolution display pretty nice. And a keyboard included for $480. More expensive than those $250 Chromebooks, but I just can't stand those low resolution TN displays with horrible viewing angles, so a Slatebook is well worth the price difference.

Thing is, at $450, this isn't a Chromebook or Windows RT killer as those things have problems on their own. This thing is actually competing with Windows laptops, and the 10" tablet software just isn't there on Android. And there's zero multi-window support either. Say what you will about Windows RT, but it at least as apps designed for a 16:9 portrait ratio at 10". There's nothing worse than using a portrait app on a landscape device. Dropbox looks comically bad.

You won't see Android laptops take off until a) the 10" Nexus tablet docks like the HP Slatebook x2 and b) Google comes up with a multi-windowing solution like in Windows 8.