HP’s Snapdragon 835-Based Envy X2 2-in-1 Available for Pre-Order, Starts at $999

HP has started to take pre-orders on its new Envy X2 2-in-1 notebook based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 SoC and Windows 10 S. The 12.3” device is designed as a thin always connected unit, and rated for up to 22 hours on one charge. The price of the new Envy X2 is higher than we imagined when these devices were first announced: it starts at $999.

The 2018 HP Envy X2 2-in-1 detachable laptop comes with a 12.3” WUXGA+ touch-enabled display covered with Corning Gorilla Glass. The system runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC equipped with 4 GB of LPDDR4-3733 DRAM and 128 GB of eUFS storage (models with enhanced DRAM and storage are expected to be available later). The PC’s physical interfaces include one physical USB 3.1 Type-C header (with DisplayPort and USB Power Delivery support), a microSD card reader, and a 3.5-mm TRRS audio input. Wireless connectivity capabilities comprise of a 2×2 802.11ac Wi-Fi module with Bluetooth 5, and the built in Gigabit LTE modem from the SoC. The built-in SoC modem is meant to be one of the key features of the Envy X2 – it makes the device always connected in all areas with 3G and/or 4G networks, which essentially means everywhere in well-developed countries. For imaging, the device uses a 13 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front-facing camera.

The new Envy X2 is equipped with a 49.33 Wh battery that is rated to enable up to 19 hours of continuous video playback (at 150 nits brightness) or up to 22 hours of mixed-use workloads (HP does not tell how it tested these).

When it comes to portability, the HP Envy X2 is in line with professional tablets and advanced thin-and-light notebooks. The tablet itself it is 6.85 mm (0.27”) thick and weighs 698.5 grams (1.54 lbs), which is comparable to Apple iPad Pro 12.9”. When outfitted with a keyboard, the weight of the new Envy X2 bumps to 1.211 kilograms (2.67 lbs), which is similar to fully-fledged 13”-class laptops.

HP lists the S835 as running at 2.2 GHz base and 2.6 GHz turbo, which is typically how we describe an x86 PC, not a smartphone SoC: the S835 has two sets of cores, normally listed as 1.90 GHz on the efficiency cores and 2.45 GHz on the performance cores, neither of which correlates to HPs listing. So either this is a faster Snapdragon S835 bin, or there is miscommunication in the specification sheet. In this form factor there is a better opportunity for more cooling, which would be suitable for a higher frequency bin of SoC. But nonetheless, the 2.2-2.6 GHz listed on HP’s website is not telling the whole story.

Like all Envy-branded devices, the new Envy X2 is designed to offer a premium experience: it comes in a brushed aluminum enclosure, features an audio sub-system co-developed with Bang & Olufsen, has a full-size magnetically attached keyboard/cover, and a stylus supporting Windows Ink technology (it is plausible to assume that the pen supports at least 1024 levels of sensitivity, but HP has not formally confirmed that). This premium look and feel comes at a price.

The Envy X2 model with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of NAND flash storage costs $999.99 and will ship on March 9. By contrast, the ASUS NovaGo TP370 with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage is priced at $799, whereas Lenovo’s Miix 630 is also expected to start from $799. Apple’s iPad Pro 12.9” with 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, a 4G/LTE modem and a keyboard is priced at $1197 (a version with 256 GB of NAND, a keyboard and stylus costs $1347), evidently HP aims its new Envy X2 at the same segment.

The latest HP Envy X2 is a product of Microsoft’s new attempt to marry nearly full-sized Windows and ARM. For HP, this is the first device running an ARM SoC and Windows for PCs. Several years ago, HP did not support Microsoft’s Windows RT (the software giant’s previous failed shot for ARM) and decided to focus on Atom- and then Core M-based Envy X2 running Windows 8/8.1/10 instead (many of such systems cost less than $1000). This time HP decided to go with S835 in a bid to offer a sleek always-connected Windows 10 device with an extra-long battery life. Since it is an Envy, it is priced accordingly and it remains to be seen whether end users are willing to spend this amount of money on this device. Obviously, the new Envy X2 is always connected and can work for a long time on one charge, but in Windows 10 S environment it can only run either specially-optimized applications, or perform binary translation (or another form of emulation) for 32-bit x86 applications (64-bit x86 apps are not supported) which naturally results in reduced performance.

Related Reading

• Lenovo Unveils Miix 630 2-in-1: Windows 10 S, Snapdragon 835, Gigabit LTE, 20 Hrs
• ASUS Announces the NovaGo (TP370): A Snapdragon 835 based Windows 10 PC
• Microsoft Launches Windows 10 On ARM: Always Connected PCs
• Microsoft and Qualcomm Collaborate to Bring Windows 10 & x86 Emulation to Snapdragon Processors

VAIO S Laptops Updated With 8th Gen Core CPUs & TruePerformance to Prolong Turbo Time

VAIO has updated its popular 13-inch VAIO S laptops sold in the U.S. with Intel’s latest 8^th Generation Core i5/i7 processors featuring four cores. Besides new CPUs, the systems have also added the company’s new TruePerformance technology, which is designed to maintain a higher turbo boost frequency for longer periods of time. The new VAIO S also feature a fingerprint reader and a TPM 2.0 module, emphasizing their business nature. Meanwhile the 2018 VAIO S retain their “classic” chassis along with a set of connectors, so they do not support modern headers, such as USB Type-C.

The new VAIO S laptops are based on Intel’s quad-core Core i5-8250U or Core i7-8550U processors with Intel UHD Graphics 620 accompanied by 8 – 16 GB of LPDDR3-1866 memory and a PCIe SSD featuring 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB capacity. One of the key features of the 2018 VAIO S notebooks is the TruePerformance technology that promises to maximize time that a CPU works at increased frequencies, giving VAIO a competitive advantage over other laptops based on the same processor.

VAIO’s TruePerformance tech is a combination of VAIO’s increased CPU power limits and a cooling system that can handle the increased heat. For reference, Intel’s Turbo Boost 2.0 technology increases the CPU frequency in increments of 100 MHz when an operating system requests a higher performance state. Typically, the amount of time that a CPU can work at its maximum Turbo Boost 2.0-defined frequency is about 20 to 30 seconds (according to VAIO), then it has to reduce its clocks because of thermals and other factors. VAIO claims that even if it increased the amount of time a processor operates at its TB 2.0-defined peak to 40 seconds, this would not bring many benefits to end users.

Instead, engineers from VAIO increased the base TDP limits of Intel CPUs to prolong the amount of time the chips operate at an above-nominal frequency (or frequencies), but below the TB 2.0-defined peak frequency. The company does not say whether it boosted TDP of Intel’s 8^th Generation Core i5/i7 CPUs all the way to  25 W from 15 W (an increase allowed by Intel and called configurable TDP-up) which would explain and define higher frequencies. Meawhile, VAIO admits it needed to redesign its CPU VRMs as well as its cooling system to remove the extra heat. The new cooler has a thicker vent (and probably an enlarged radiator) as well as apply a new fan rotation speed control algorithm to ensure that the chips do not overheat.

Based on graphs demonstrated by VAIO, its TruePerformance technology can increase a CPU performance in Cinebench by 11% ~ 13% when compared to the same CPU without the tech. Meanwhile, the increased TDP limit can also lift iGPU performance by 4.5% ~ 8.6%. While performance increases are not radical, they add value to VAIO’s new PCs.

Now, back to the laptops themselves. This year’s VAIO S systems are outfitted with a 802.11ac Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.1 module, a GbE connector, a 0.92 MP webcam, an SD card reader, a fingerprint reader, a TPM 2.0 module and so on. Configuration of I/O ports remains unchanged from the original (non-Sony) VAIO S model launched in 2016: three USB 3.0 ports (including one always-on USB 3.0 for charging), a TRRS audio connector, an HDMI and a D-Sub output. When it comes to battery life, the new model S can work for approximately 8 hours 45 minutes on one charge, depending on the model and usage, which is in line with previous-gen VAIO S systems, but is hardly impressive when compared to other modern laptops.

As for display and physical dimensions, the new VAIO S features a 13.3” screen with a 1920×1080 resolution, it weighs just about a kilogram (2.34 lbs) and is only 15 – 17.8 mm thick. When compared to the 2016 VAIO S, the chassis got ~1.8 mm thicker at its thinnest point and ~0.2 mm thinner at its thickest point, which is hardly a big deal for portability.

The new VAIO S will be available in the U.S. this month at MSRPs starting from $1,199. It is noteworthy that in Japan VAIO offers two business-oriented VAIO S lineups — with 11.6” and 13.3” displays (there is also a family with a 15.5” screen, but it is barely aimed at business customers). Both VAIO S11 and S13 are based on Intel’s latest quad-core Core i5/i7 8000-series processors, come with optional LTE modems and even feature spill-resistant keyboards that are never mentioned in case of the U.S. VAIO S 2018.

Related Reading:

• VAIO to Start Selling Laptops in the U.S. This Spring
• VAIO Launches Phone A: Snapdragon 617, 3 GB RAM, 5.5” FHD, Android
• VAIO to Start Selling Smartphones in Japan

Eurocom Launches Sky X4C, X7C and X9C Laptops with Core i7-8700K CPUs

Eurocom has introduced its new Sky X4C, X7C and X9C desktop replacement notebooks featuring Intel’s latest six-core Coffee Lake processors (up to Core i7-8700K) and upgradeable NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics. Like other Eurocom systems, the machines are manufactured by Clevo, but they will have configurations that are specific to Eurocom. The systems will be available for sale in the coming weeks.

Eurocom’s Sky X-series DTR laptops are traditionally based on Intel’s desktop socketed CPUs. Since the Core i7-8700K (Coffee Lake) processors require Intel’s latest Z370 PCH and require new motherboards, Clevo and Eurocom introduced some additional upgrades to the new machines in addition to the CPU and the PCH. For example, all the machines get support for Intel Optane SSDs, a newer Killer E2500 GbE controller, and faster DDR4-3000 memory support. All of the systems can drive four monitors, feature a Realtek ALC892 audio solution with the Sound Blaster X Pro-Gaming 360° enhancements and the ESS Sabre ES9018K2M HiFi Audio DAC for headphones, integrated speakers with a subwoofer, and are equipped with 7-color backlit keyboards with WASD gaming keys. As with all DTR laptops, we are essentially talking about desktops in clamshell form-factors.

The Eurocom Sky X9C is the most powerful of the systems launched today by the company. It comes with 17.3” display, up to two NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070/1080 GPUs in MXM 3.0 form-factor, up to 64 GB of DDR4 RAM, up to five storage devices — three M.2 SSDs and two 2.5”/9.5 mm HDDs or SSDs. As for connectivity, the Sky X9C features two Killer E2500 GbE controllers, a 802.11ac Wi-Fi + Bluetooth module, support Killer Double Shot-X3 Pro technology that combines multiple network controllers for extra performance, has two Thunderbolt 3 ports, five USB 3.0 Type-A connectors, and two mDP 1.3 ports.

The machine weighs 5.5 kilograms and is 47.2 mm thick, making it rather hard to transport around. Keep in mind that the high-end versions of the Sky X9C require Eurocom’s 780 W external PSU, which weighs 1.7 kilograms on its own.

The Sky X7C from Eurocom is another 17.3” machine that is very similar to the X9C, but which supports only one GPU and four storage devices. A good news is that the Sky X9C consumes less power and therefore does not need three blower fans.

The machine is also rather heavy — it weighs 3.9 kilograms and has a thickness of 39.9 mm. Furthermore, beefed-up versions of the Sky X7C come with two 330 W PSUs, which are not easy to carry around.

Finally, the Eurocom Sky X4C is a 15.6” laptop that can integrate NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1060 or 1070 GPU, two 2.5”/9.5 mm storage drives, two M.2 SSDs, one TB3 port, four USB Type-A connectors and so on. Apart from dimensions, the main difference of the Sky X4C is pre-wired support for 4G/LTE WWAN module so it can be used to access the Internet where other laptops cannot.

At 3.4 kilograms, this machine is slightly lighter than its bigger brethren, though it is pretty thick as well at 38 mm. Meanwhile, even overclocked configurations of the Sky X4C do not consume more than 330 W, these DTR notebooks are a little more portable than the even larger models.

Eurocom plans to start sales of the new Sky X C-series laptops based on Intel’s Coffee Lake processors on November 15, 2017. Pricing will vary as Eurocom will offer various configurations of the notebooks, but expect them to be on par with the previous-generation Eurocom Sky X E2-series machines available today.

Related Reading:

• Clevo Announces P870TM Laptop: First DTR Laptop with Coffee Lake-S
• Eurocom Sky E9E2 Laptop: Intel Core i7, Two NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080/1070 GPUs in SLI, Optional 120 Hz Display Panel
• Eurocom Now Selling GPU Upgrades For Existing Laptops With GTX 980M and GTX 970M Options
• Alienware Refreshes Lineup With Laptop Updates, And Liquid Cooled X51 Desktop
• Alienware Refreshes The Alienware 15 And 17 Gaming Notebooks At PAX
• Eurocom Launches a 780 W External PSU for Laptops