HP Elite x3 revealed - Your smartphone that is your laptop and desktop, running Windows 10 Mobile, and makes bacon.

[GoodBytes]

Ok the bacon is a lie.

 

HP announces officially today at MWC 2016, the rumor/leaked  HP Elite x3.

This nice looking phone is the most powerful Windows 10 Mobile device you can get, and that is for a reason.

Beside the mass power, the phone 1 meter drop certification (MIL-STD-810), and is water and dust resistance (IP67), and support dual SIM (something that many Windows 10 Mobile devices seems to love to push in all markets. And is very welcomed addition). As you can already imagine, the phone is targeted at businesses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Phone

 

 

The phone specs are impressive:

• 5.96-inch AMOLED display with WQHD 2560 x 1440
• A massive: 4150 mAh battery.
• Gorilla Glass 4
• USE 3.0 Type-C
• Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 @ 2.15 GHz
• 4GB LPDDR4 RAM
• 64GB expandable to up to 2TB with microSD (thanks for Windows 10 Mobile)
• 16MP f/2.0 rear camera
• 8MP front-facing camera
• Windows Hello - Iris Scanner
• Windows Hello - Fingerprint scanner
• IP67 rating for dust- and water-resistance
• MIL-STD-810 rating. That is  a 1 meter.
• Device size: 83.5 x 7.8 x 161.8 mm. Weight: 195g

But Wait there is more!

• Bang & Olufsenfront facing speakers
• Anti-reflective coating
• Cat 6 LTE modem and 2x2 AC WiFi
• Qi and PMA wireless charging.
• TPM 2.0 chip
• Bit-locker 128bit encryptom
• FIPS 140.2 Cryptography
• VPN-SSL support
• Image Encryption

 

Notice the pogo pins on the back of the phone? Those are not decoration. This is to allow vendors to create special accessories for the phone.

Like cases that includes a bar code scanner for track inventory system, smart card reader, or extra battery. The idea is to replace old outdated Windows CE devices still used on the market today for such tasks.

 

This phone is not joking around.

 

 

The reason for all this power, is for Continuum, a feature that Windows 10 Mobile has, which allows you to connect your phone either wired or wirelessly to a  screen and have a desktop-like experience with Windows Universal Apps. The idea is that it allows companies to provide these phones to employees, which can use on the go, and at the office. All they need to put it or connect it to some dock, and poof you have a desktop, keyboard connected to the phone, and desktop like experience on the desktop. This is obviously targeted for people doing mostly Office work, and maybe some company custom software or use Edge web browser to connect to company internal website.

 

HP will provide a cloud/remote-desktop like system, where company can setup their Win32 apps with HP, and be able to view/access them from the phone. So the Win32 app runs on the server, and some app on the phone remote desktop to the app itself, for using it on the phone. Pretty interesting solution.

 

One interesting feature has is the trays for the SIM card and micro SD card... how so?

Unlike the Lumia 950 / 950 XL (dual SIM variant) where you have another dedicated non-SIM, and a dedciated micro-SD card slot, it has instead this 3-in-1 card tray.

This tray will take: Dual nano SIM or a nano SIM + microSD.

 

No information if the phone has a cooling solution like the Lumia 950 XL for the Snapdragon 810 it features.

 

The Dock

 

 

The dock is one of 2 accessories for the phone. This one is to allow you to connect the phone as the previous picture above shows, and have all your stuff connected to it. Once teh phone is dock, you have your desktop like experience.

 

 

The dock, features:

• Power to charge the phone when docked
• DisplayPort (can be converted down to HDMI)
• Ethernet
• 2x full size powered USB 3.0 ports with device charging
• 1x USB Type C connector
• Kensington lock (on the side of the dock)

 

So where is the laptop in all of this...

 

The Laptop

 

 

The laptop has no actual system in it. It is a screen, a keyboard, and a touchpad, speakers, headphone jack, has Ethernet port, two full size USB 3.0 connector and one USB 3.0 Type-C connector. Oh and battery. No CPU.

 

The laptop is 12.5inch, and has a 48Wh battery

 

The phone transmit to the laptop wirelessly. So you can have the phone in your pocket (once you connect to the laptop) and use the laptop, basically.

 

They are no information on price and accessories price. And is expected to be released in summer.

 

The phone will be sold in the U.S and other regions in the world.

AT&T is expected to support it, but like current Windows 10 Mobile device, expect the same carrier support, and no fully paid or partially paid plans for the phone due to the OS by-pass of carrier for phone updates.

 

Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/hp-unveils-the-elite-x3-and-its-mobile-extender-the-most-powerful-windows-10-mobile-device

Source2: http://www.theverge.com/2016/2/21/11068496/hp-elite-x3-announced-specs-windows-10-mwc-2016

Source3: http://www.windowscentral.com/hp-elite-x3-faq

 

 

 

 

[PlayStation 2]

Will this arrive in an unlocked form?

[GoodBytes]

Most likely as it will most likely not have carrier support, much like current Windows 10 Mobile device due to the update system. So i expect it to cost the same or even a bit more than the Lumia 950 XL. Not to mention that the accessories. HP is known to charge a premium price for any accessories. The phone is really aimed at businesses, so for them it is not a problem.

[terrytek]

wow, that is seriously super duper impressive. but too bad the adoption rate of windows mobile is stupid low, otherwise i could have bought it. 

[atrash]

Although it is quite an interesting phone, as an average consumer myself, I dont think I have any real use of most of the phone extra functionalities that aren't already there in the 950XL. 

 

That dock is really awesome btw. Ethernet to a phone?

[GoodBytes]

4 minutes ago, atrash said:

That dock is really awesome btw. Ethernet to a phone?

Yea. Because it runs Windows 10 core. You can also plug a studio mic if you want, and now your voice will be super good when you do phone calls.

 

 

[Trik'Stari]

I was told there was to be bacon.

 

I was lied to.

 

1/10 would not buy.

 

Spoiler

In all seriousness, it looks interesting.

 

[Aniallation]

Continuum didn't really catch on with the 950 though

[atrash]

20 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Yea. Because it runs Windows 10 core. You can also plug a studio mic if you want, and now your voice will be super good when you do phone calls.

 

 

With screen that large, I kinda expected at least a stylus like the Surface. But maybe that is reserved for the Surface phone only maybe.

[Doobeedoo]

Looks to be a really great phone, looks really solid and specs are top notch.

[VerticalDiscussions]

Holy smokes! Not only is it powerful as heck, but too big !

[Misanthrope]

Quote

Your smartphone that is your laptop and desktop

 

Quote

• Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 @ 2.15 GHz

 

I rather eat shit that use that as my desktop or laptop. I mean I appreciate the device and versatility, I'd love to make quick edits to documents and such while on the go with just my phone and a monitor and keyboard. That's genuinely cool stuff. This hyperbole paired with this CPU is just fucking not.

[GoodBytes]

3 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

 

 

I rather eat shit that use that as my desktop or laptop. I mean I appreciate the device and versatility, I'd love to make quick edits to documents and such while on the go with just my phone and a monitor and keyboard. That's genuinely cool stuff. This hyperbole paired with this CPU is just fucking not.

Nope, sorry, it not equipped with a Core i7 6700K OC and a 2x GeForce 980TI desktop, in the phone.

 

I said "laptop, and desktop", NOT "YOUR laptop or desktop".

[Misanthrope]

1 minute ago, GoodBytes said:

Nope, sorry, it not equipped with a Core i7 6700K OC and a 2x GeForce 980TI desktop, in the phone.

 

I said "laptop, and desktop", NOT "YOUR laptop or desktop".

I actually assumed you took that line from the article not made it yourself. Also I feel triggered seeing how I have a pair of lowly i5s on my rigs, way to go man!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hehehe

[GoodBytes]

I forgot to mention, the phone has Anti-reflective coating applied to the display.

[Trixanity]

Anandtech implied that the phone won't reach consumers (at least not initially) and that it would mainly be sold B2B. Wonder if that's true or speculation. Also, the price is still up in the air.

 

It's a pretty nice business phone. Very 'no nonsense". I like that. Funnily enough both impressed and surprised me more than either the S7 or G5. Didn't expect that from HP of all companies.

[SlipperyPete]

im super excited for this. i used to be an avid windows phone user before i switched to android (apps and accessories) but this phone might make me switch back

 

[AlanAlan]

This looks very cool! How much are they selling it for?

[terrytek]

59 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

 

 

I rather eat shit that use that as my desktop or laptop. I mean I appreciate the device and versatility, I'd love to make quick edits to documents and such while on the go with just my phone and a monitor and keyboard. That's genuinely cool stuff. This hyperbole paired with this CPU is just fucking not.

maybe if it had a snapdragon 612 it would work better though.

[Belgarathian]

That... That's awesome! 

 

@LinusTech, you better get a test unit of this...

[Guest Kloaked]

Looks ight.

 

.... but HP....... ...

...

.......

 

memories of a dark, dark time

[GoodBytes]

1 hour ago, Belgarathian said:

That... That's awesome! 

 

@LinusTech, you better get a test unit of this...

He is not going to like it at all.

And the reason for this, is that Windows 10 Mobile really caters to a niche market right now.

This is why I always say, the Lumia 950 XL (which I have and enjoy), is a phone I recommend and don't recommend.

 

I can already tell you the following point Linus will say:

 -> Doesn't have his favorite apps. App that are available doesn't have the latest and greatest added features, as it usually updated last.

 

 -> Hate the phone because it can't integrate to any of his services, as the only service it has officially is Microsoft (and like Box and Dropbox for cloud storage). If you are outside of the Windows ecosystem, Windows 10 Mobile will hurt.

 

 -> Edge web browser has a lot of work needed. It already has work to be done on the desktop side, it needs even more work on the mobile side. In the latest Insider version of Windows 10 Mobile, Edge finally doesn't crash the tab you are on when you hit Enter on the text box on this forum. But it is still slow, and has no page caching. Meaning, you go back -> reloads the page, you go forward -> Oh wait you can't! So you click on the same link and... -> reloads the page. You switch tabs -> reloads the page. It is like the web browser was designed for 64MB of RAM. I have 3GB! Let me use it!!! And complex pages are unresponsive until fully loaded, making links don't work until the page and all ads are fully loaded. Annoying! And switching tabs is a pain also. It is slow. But, the page rendering is excellent, and I don't know how it does it, but on many web pages (like, not even popular ones, like my website) it is able to id main content, and makes the text larger so you don't need to zoom in. The rest of the text remains small. Web pages load the full desktop sites, which is really nice. No mobile crap version. Once the web page is fully loaded it scrolls and can zoom in above and beyond smooth. It is strange web browser. Despite the slowness, every pages works perfectly. You have Private browsing, you can download any files you want. And that is what is strange, one part is amazing, and the other part is like .... hmmm.. needs work.

 

 -> Continuum, where Microsoft acknowledges that it has a lot of work to be done, has no window support. Each app runs full screen. And despite a powerful chip with a cooling solution Snapdragon 810, it suffers when you really multi-task with a lots of stuff open. It really needs more optimization. You can see that this feature was added.. I don't want to say last minute, as it is solid, but pretty much last minute. So we will see with Redstone update what it offers. But for HP to do all this setup, probably they know what is coming. But it isn't there yet.

 

-> Camera is meh, as it is business focused

 

-> Because it is HP and business class, accessories will be nothing less than overpriced.

[atrash]

28 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

He is not going to like it at all.

<snip>

 

 

Using Edge on Continuum is kinda a stressful experience imo. Mainly because of the thing you mentioned about page caching. Opening multi tabs feels so unnatural because each tab will refresh everytime you switch to it. And I can't seem to get the audio through my tv while playing any video in Continuum. The display dock will stay in my drawer for now.

 

But I agree Linus will not like it at all. He's too heavily reliant on Google services to have any real benefit at all from using W10M.

[Nowak]

4 hours ago, Aniallation said:

Continuum didn't really catch on with the 950 though

This seems like the best implementation of Continuum so far. Continuum was meant to keep you productive even on the go, but the L950 missed the mark and was limited to just desktop form factors. With that laptop, this will definitely keep you productive on the go.

 

But of course, there's nothing keeping you from getting, say, an X-series Thinkpad and using that when on the go instead. But I guess the option is nice.

[pit5000]

so the laptop is a wireless display and hub?

 

I like the idea of a single device running everything else you own. Isn't this where Apple has been trying to go for the last few years and still haven't gotten there yet? Obviously this windows phone hardware isn't the most powerful but at least they got the concept right.