TECH TIME: HP EliteBook 8460p is a top-of-the-line business laptop
In the business world, you have to look sharp – and that means not only your wardrobe, but your laptop too. And, of course, you want what’s inside to be equally impressive so the performance lives up to the image.With the latest entry it its EliteBook line – the HP EliteBook 8460p notebook PC – HP is hoping it had fulfilled that combination and this business laptop will be at the top of every business buyers’ laptop shopping list. I recently spent some time with the machine, so let’s take a look and see where it impresses and where it disappoints.LOOKSYou want a laptop aimed at the business community to look classy, and the 8460p meets that requirement without a doubt. Its platinum color, with a black finish, is all business in its appearance.The materials used on this machine are top-notch. It features an aluminum display enclosure, magnesium-reinforced chassis, the platinum-colored HP DuraFinish, an HP DisplaySafe frame around the monitor, aluminum-alloy hinges, titanium-alloy display latches, a keyboard enclosed in a full aluminum deck, and a chemically strengthened glass touchpad.The aluminum finish does a great job at limiting how many fingerprints and smudges will be left on the lid, and the aerospace-inspired design makes for a nice-looking machine that is also very durable.RUGGED BUILDWhen I say durable, I’m not exaggerating. This machine is one of few on the market that have been tested to meet military standards for vibration, dust, altitude and temperature – so it can take whatever you throw at it, within reason of course. This is good for users who might encounter difficult circumstances in the travels and use of the machine.There was even an extra drop test done, so while I wouldn’t recommend dropping it for kicks, it’s good to know that a little fall probably won’t break the machine.Of course, this doesn’t come without drawbacks. The rugged nature of this design does add some weight and thickness as compared to other models on the market, which may turn off some customers. The machine’s weight will be at least 4.56 pounds, and the dimensions are 13.31 inches wide x 9.11 inches deep x 1.25 inches thick.KEYBOARD, TOUCHPADI was a big fan of the extremely smooth glass touchpad that felt very good and was easy to use (it was reminiscent of a MacBook touchpad, for you Apple fans).The large size of the touchpad made it easy to use for multitouch movements, such as pinch-to-zoom, and there is an on/off button if you choose to not use the touchpad.The other option for maneuvering is the “pointstick”, which is a little nub located between the G and H keys and is the preferred method by some users. (personally I have never been a fan of such pointing devices, but it’s good to have options.)The keyboard is full-sized and easy to use, and the materials used on the keys are high-quality. The keys provide tactile feedback, so you know when the key has been hit, and there is ample spacing between the keys. It is spill resistant, meaning a little fluid won’t kill the machine. U.S. and International key layouts are available.My biggest complaint about the keyboard is that it’s not backlit, and it really should be on a machine of this level. There is just a little light on top to partially light the keyboard, which is not much help at all. Another minor gripe is that there is no separate number pad on the right (though this feature can be found on the slightly larger 8560p).Above the keyboard are a few shortcut buttons: For WiFi on/off, launching Internet browser and muting sound.PORTSThere are an impressive amount of ports on the 8460p, including: 2 USB 3.0 ports, 1 eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo port, 1 USB 2.0 charging port, 1 external VGA monitor port, 1 DisplayPort, 1 stereo microphone in port, 1 stereo headphone/line-out port, the power input, 1 RJ-45 (Ethernet) port, 1 Express Card, 1 Smart Card Reader and 1 SD card slotNotable are the USB 3.0 ports, which offer much faster data transfer. There is also an optical drive, with Blu-ray options if you want to go that route.WEBCAMThe 8460p features a 720p HD Webcam, which I used to make Skype calls and found to offer impressive quality for video calls for work or personal reasons.This feature will be especially helpful with video conference calls in the business world.PROCESSORThe 8460p is powered by an Intel Core processor. My review model has an 2.50 GHz Intel Core i5 processor, and it performed admirably – with little to no delay when multitasking or using more cumbersome programs.There are also i3 and i7 processors available if you want to downgrade or upgrade, but whichever you choose this generation of Intel processors has been very impressive and won’t disappoint.Models with i5 and i7 processors offer the option of Intel’s vPro technology, which is a set of security and manageability capabilities that accelerates data encryption, reduces unwanted access to sensitive data on missing laptops; allows IT technicians to quickly deploy security patches across PCs, remotely unlock encrypted drives, and manage data security settings; and enables IT to remotely troubleshoot and repair PCsSpecs on the machine can be accepted in preset combinations, or customize.You can choose 2GB or 4GB of RAM (My unite was 4GB); Storage offers are 250GB, 320GB, 500GB and 750 GB. There are also self-encrypting and solid-state drive options. (My unit was 320 GB, a happy medium)ProBook vs. EliteBookMany people may be familiar with HP’s ProBook series, and may wonder what distinguishes the EliteBook. In short, it’s mostly hardware. Software is pretty consistent between the two lines, but the hardware is what makes the EliteBook line more pricey and upscale. The military standard testing, more durable build, glass touchpad and USB 3.0 ports, for example, are some things you won’t find on the ProBook series.Now, if those things aren’t essential to you, you can look to the ProBook series and save a few bucks. (Here is my review of the HP ProBook 6560b … bit.ly/nUwMHE)DISPLAY, GRAPHICSAs far as the screen, the 8460p features a 14.0” screen that is LED-backlit. The resolution is 1366 x 768, which is not the greatest out there, but it does have native support for 720p HD content and still looks good.The graphics capability of the machine was very impressive, so if you’re a business person who likes to sneak in some time playing World of Warcraft in your spare time, this is a good option to consider.HP FEATURES, SOFTWAREAmong the HP-unique features is the QuickWeb button, which allows you quick access to the Web quickly, without fully booting the machine. QuickWeb now includes widgets including Twitter, if you want to look at or update your feed quickly.There is also HP Power Assistant, which offers various power plans that can also be centrally managed (so your IT person can set power profiles for all company machines).Among the software included on the machine is Microsoft Office Starter 2010, allowing you to do basic word processor or spreadsheet work, though you’ll have to purchase the full version of Office to get all the capabilities of the program. Also included are Skype and Norton Internet Security, among other programs.BATTERYOverall, battery life offered on the HP EliteBook 8460p was pretty impressive. My machine had a 6-cell battery and I got upwards of 5 hours of life out of it, which is pretty reasonable (but not close to the 8+ hours that was advertised). But you can choose from a wide variety of battery options. (3-cell, 6-cell, long life 6-cell, 9-cell, extended life 9-cell and ultra extended life 9-cell). The ultra-extend options promises more than 22 hours of life (which realistically is more like 16, doing the math based off my experience), but you’re going to have to pay for that kind of upgrade. SECURITYThis is a very important area to consider when dealing with business laptops, as you don’t want your information getting out to the wrong people. And as usual, HP has come through with a bevy of options to make you feel confident everything is secure.You can choose facial recognition to open the computer, and in addition to that you can require the presence of a specific Bluetooth-enabled phone to gain access. You can also opt for a fingerprint reader.Standard features via HP ProtectTools are Credential Manager, Computrace Pro, Device Access Manager, Drive Encryption, Face Recognition, File Sanitizer (for shredding files), Privacy Manager and Embedded Security. You can use ProtectTools to organize your passwords and make your work both fast and safe. You can opt to sign up for Computrace, which provides theft protection.PRICEThe Price of the HP EliteBook 8460p starts $999.99, with the base configuration (2.3-GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, Intel HD 3000 graphics), but it can go up quite a bit from there if you customize in the areas of hard drive, graphics, processor and battery. The version I tested was $1,199.00 and performed admirably, so you don’t need to go hog wild unless you’ve got a lot of dough burning a hole in your pocket.THE BOTTOM LINEWith the HP EliteBook 8460p notebook PC, HP has succeeded in offering an impressive machine that also looks great and can physically take almost any test you can put it through as you go about your business.Beyond its rugged and well-designed exterior, you get a machine with a very strong processor, impressive graphics, good battery life, nice touches like the HD Webcam and the glass touchpad, and perhaps most importantly the high level of security HP provides for its business customers.I did have a few concerns, like the lack of a backlit keyboard and its slightly heavy weight, and not everyone will need the top of the line features offered here and might go for the ProBook series or other less expensive business laptop options from other manufacturers.But those who go for the EliteBook 8460p model won’t be disappointed in what they experience, as HP has done an impressive job with the latest entry in their top level of business laptops.On the WebFor more information on the HP EliteBook 8460p, visit hp.comMatt Myftiu can be reached at . Follow him on Twitter @MattMyftiu, or become a fan of the Facebook page OPTechTime.
- Return to Paging Mode
