Transformer Book competition? HP has just outed the Split X2, a Core powered 13.3″ touchscreen Windows 8 hybrid with WiDi, HDMI, and a keyboard dock with an extra battery and a 500GB HDD. Is this a viable alternative to the Transformer Book?
The Split is another entrant in the growing Windows 8 Core powered hybrid market and has a number of features similar to the Transformer Book like a keyboard dock with an extra battery and an optional 500GB HDD to complement the 128GB SSD in the tablet. The HP will be powered by a Y-series Intel Core i3 or i5 processor, offer WiDi, and HDMI port, microSD and full SD card slots and 2 USB porst (1x USB2, 1x USB3) on the keyboard dock. WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, Beats audio and front and rear are also present.
The Split falls behind a bit when it comes to the screen, a 13.3″ touchscreen with a resolution of 1366×768 and 2GB RAM and while HP’s website suggests the RAM can be upgraded (no figures given) there doesn’t seem to be an option to upgrade to a full HD screen which would be preferred with a 13″ screen.
The whole package weighs in at 4.12lbs and starts at $799.99 with availability slated for August.
After with the fiasco with my Dell XPS 12, I wouldn’t buy from a manufacturer that’s on the decline.
That includes HP as well. There’s probably a reason why HP is dropping in marketshare, just like there’s a reason for Dell.
What was exactly the fiasco with your Dell XPS 12 ? .. Both HP and Dell are dropping in marketshare?
Touchscreen issues: Few hours after use it would just stop working. Reboot or sleep would fix it but its annoying. Got a replacement system for this too, and an extensive talk with the support technicians, who couldn’t figure it out.
Touchpad and gestures: The most annoying thing was when I was typing and it would randomly select the whole thing and do “insert” basically. If you don’t know what Insert does in this scenario, it means it deletes everything. I am often typing long responses(like this one) and it would just delete it.
Also, if I want to use the touchpad, it takes few seconds delay and/or few movements for it to recognize it. The cursor won’t respond at all during that time.
Minor other issues: I also had on the original system where a up arrow key wouldn’t work. I had to disassemble it and put it back which fixed the problem.
On-line support: There are PLENTY of people with the touchscreen issues, just like me. It seems that nearly all(if not all) XPS 12 systems might be affected by it. There’s absolutely zero responses in the forum by Dell though.
On the contrary if you look at Yoga for the same issues, you have a dedicated Lenovo guy constantly trying to answer questions. I mean, they don’t leave the users hanging. And its fixed now.
People, and companies make mistakes, and I am fine with that. Just acknowledge the problem exists and get it fixed. On systems like the XPS 12 and Yoga the touchscreen functionality is critical.
The fact that Dell made a $1200+ system, calls it an “XPS” and is absolutely ignorant to the issues points to a deep issue within the company. Probably no coincidence that its marketshare is freefalling and management trying to make it private.
The whole point I am trying to make is that hardware is the least of the problems if it doesn’t have the backbone right – tech support and problem resolving.
Whew I sew where you are comming from David you make very valid points. I purchased a Samsung series 9 last year myself it was before the Touchscreen devices appeared and the convertables now of course.
Not bad specs, like the detachable tablet but 13″ with a 1366×768 screen, thats a deal breaker they really need to move beyond these budget resolutions. I have an envy x2 with 1366×768 and its ok on an 11.6″ screen, barely… id still prefer higher. So that screen on a 13″ is a deal breaker.
THIS is the thing that I want, but… why didn’t HP wait a month, and released it with a Haswell processor?!
An 1080p screen would be nice, However with a 768p screen the price is nice.
OEMs don’t always start releasing models using a new processor as soon as it’s released because of a few factors…
One, being that chip production yields are usually low when they first start shipping and that means limited supply that may not meet demand.
Two, new chips can also run into issues like FAB defects that can take a bit of time to both discover and then fix… though that’s unlikely for Haswell as Intel already vetted the 22nm FAB with Ivy Bridge.
Three, Intel doesn’t always release the specific or entire range of processors a OEM may want to offer with their product. So they have to wait until Intel starts releasing those other model chips first and that can spread throughout a whole year or more.
Four, OEMs still have to get rid of their existing stock before fully investing in a new product line.
So it may be more than a month before we see that many new models with Haswell… but it should pick up fairly quickly by Q3…