Remember when tablets were called Tablet PCs, and they were geared toward productivity instead of apps and entertainment? Here’s something to jog your memory. The HP EliteBook 2740p ($1,699 as configured) is a powerful convertible targeted at mobile professionals looking for pen and touch input. This 3.8-pound machine features a durable design, a fast Core i5 processor, and lets you get online and check your e-mail and calendar without booting into Windows. The touch functionality feels a little thin out of the box, and we wish the standard battery lasted longer on a charge, but overall the 2740p is a solid business tablet for the money.

Design and Durability
Tough but light enough to qualify as an ultraportable, the 2740p has an all-aluminum matte silver surface and a full magnesium enclosure. This modern-looking but slightly chunky convertible feels like it can stand up to a fair amount of abuse, whether you’re toting it from your office to the conference room or traveling cross-country. The hinge also feels sturdy, even if it’s not bi-directional like the Lenovo ThinkPad X201.



With a 1.3-inch profile, the 2740p has the same thickness as the ThinkPad X201 Tablet but is bulkier than the 1.1-inch thin Dell Latitude XT2. The 2740p weighs the same as the XT2 at 3.8 pounds, but is lighter than the 4.2-pound X201 Tablet (when equipped with a larger eight-cell battery).

Other durability features include a spill-resistant keyboard, a DuraKeys treatment that prevents the print from rubbing off over time, and HP 3D DriveGuard for protecting the hard drive. Plus, the 2740p was designed to meet the MIL-STD 810G military standards for vibration, dust, humidity, extreme altitudes, and high temperatures.



The front of the notebook houses a latch for opening the lid, as well as the power switch, and above the keyboard you’ll find small backlit mute and volume buttons that worked well. On the top of the screen bezel, HP positioned the webcam to the left of the display latch and a keyboard light to the right that pops out when pressed. A switch on the top edge of the bezel reveals a wireless antenna, Swiss-Army knife style. In tablet mode the right side of the system houses a jog dial (good for scrolling) and Esc key, along with a button for changing the display’s orientation.

Heat
The 2740p runs warmer than its biggest competitor, but it wasn’t uncomfortable to use. After playing a Hulu video clip for 15 minutes, the area between the G and H keys measured 87 degrees Fahrenheit, the touchpad registered 97 degrees, and the bottom of the system hit 101. By comparison, the ThinkPad X201 Tablet reached only 86, 81, and 88 degrees, respectively.



Quick Specs :
PU: 2.53-GHz Core i5 520M
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (64-bit)
RAM/Upgradable to: 4GB/8GB
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 250GB/5,400rpm
Display Size/Resolution: 12.1 inches/1280 x 800
Graphics/Video Memory: Intel GMA HD/Shared