PCmag@Work (Small Business): Review – Highly-rated Business Ultraportable Notebook From HP
It’s not cheap at over $1,600, but with its low-voltage Intel Core i7 (2.13GHz) processor and 4GB of DDR3, it performs well, and it’s packed with features. Bottom line: four out of five stars.
“Business ultraportables encompass a wide range of systems, the smallest of which have 12-inch widescreens. A 12-inch screen has to be the cut-off point here or else you would be venturing into netbook territory. The HP EliteBook 2540p ($1,629 direct) is certainly tiny, but it’s also one of the most powerful, feature-packed ultraportables in the business. This particular one is configured with a long battery life in mind (8 hours’ worth) by pairing a low-voltage Intel Core i7 processor with an extended battery.
EliteBooks are all fortified with magnesium metals that form a boxy-looking frame. Had HP not capped the top-half with fine aluminum metals, the 2540p would have had the kind of business-bland design we see in the Lenovo ThinkPad X201 ($1,199 direct). Good looks aside, the 2540p is sturdy, since all EliteBooks go through a series of low-stress torture tests that involve moisture, vibration, dust, and extreme heat and cold. All this extra padding comes in handy for the road, though it won’t be easy on your back. At 3.9 pounds, the 2540p is discernibly heavier than the Editors’ Choice Sony VAIO VPC-Z116GXS ($1,800 direct) at 3.0 pounds and just edged out the Lenovo X201 at 3.8 pounds.”
