HP's updated Pro x2 is a 2-in-1 tablet for the business crowd

Consumer devices are fine for a lot of business applications, but corporations and governments sometimes need more. And that's what the HP Pro x2 612 offers — it's a convertible tablet in the vein of the Microsoft Surface Pro, but with more business-friendly features.

Specs-wise, it's a high-end but not spectacular tablet. You're looking at a selection of Kaby Lake seventh-gen Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, 8GB of RAM, your choice of 256GB or 512GB of storage, and Intel Graphics 615 (because, you know, high-power graphics aren't the most important thing for businesses). All of this makes for a fanless design — it's not waterproof, but no vents mean fewer holes for liquid infiltration. It's been built for durability, as well, meeting the MIL-STD 810G specification without becoming an ugly, bulky thing, though the bezels around the 12-inch display are a bit thick.

HP's kickstand is more of an easel frame design that's hinged on either side and flips out up to 165 degrees. It surrounds the bottom edge of a back panel that is fully removable to allow access to the M.2 solid state drive (SSD) for upgrades. The durability and upgradeability are part of how HP determined that this tablet will live up to the three-to-five-year lifespan expected for business computing. That backside also plays host to the Windows Hello-compatible fingerprint sensor, and along the top edge you'll find a smart card reader for secure corporate or government account authentication.

As a 2-in-1 tablet, HP went with the Surface-style removable keyboard. It mounts via magnets and pin connectors in the floppy hinge to the bottom of the tablet. While there's a nicely included pen loop on the left side, the keyboard is a pretty standard affair until you get to the top right corner, where HP set the function keys to more business-friendly functions, such as Outlook Calendar, screen share, and Skype call answer and hang up.

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CategoryHP Pro x2 612
ProcessorIntel Core i7-7Y75
Intel Core i5-7Y54
Intel Core i5-7Y57
Intel Core M3-7Y30
Intel Pentium 4410Y
Internal storageUp to 512GB M.2 SATA
Up to 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe
RAM8GB LPDDR3-1866 SDRAM
Display12" FHD BrightView LED touch screen (1920 x 1280)
Corning Gorilla Glass 4
GraphicsIntel HD 615
Windows HelloFingerprint reader (optional)
PortsUSB 3.1 Type-C (power and docking)
1 USB 3.0
headphone/microphone combo
Expansion slotsOne microSD
one smart card reader (Supports SD, SDHC, SDXC)
WirelessWi-Fi 802.11ac (2x2) Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.2
LTE
Camera5MP 1080p front-facing
8MP rear-facing
Battery41WHr
HP fast charge
Weight2.65 lb/1.2kg (tablet with travel keyboard)
ColorsBlack

The HP Pro X2 612 is available today starting at $979 from HP.com.

See at HP

Derek Kessler

Derek Kessler is Special Projects Manager for Mobile Nations. He's been writing about tech since 2009, has far more phones than is considered humane, still carries a torch for Palm, and got a Tesla because it was the biggest gadget he could find. You can follow him on Twitter at @derekakessler.