HP has introduced a slim notebook range which aims to take on the svelte MacBook Air. The EliteBook Folio 1020 and the Special Edition version measure 15.7mm (0.6 inches) thick and are housed in a casing made from a magnesium-lithium alloy and reusable carbon fiber, with the Special Edition weighing slightly less than the standard, at 2.2 pounds to 2.6 pounds.
Claimed to have as much as nine hours of battery life from a single charge, the fanless-design notebooks will pack Intel Core M processors, SSD storage, a 720p webcam, DTS Studio Sound processing, HP’s own noise reduction software, and a redesigned HP Premium Keyboard. Both models will have similar 12.5-inch 2,560×1,440 displays, with the standard edition also including a 1080p variant, with options to make the displays touch-enabled.
While they are claimed to be “business class” notebooks, HP state they have been designed to pass MIL-STD 810G, making them capable of surviving drops, shocks, extreme temperatures, humidity, and high pressures. LANDesk and Intel vPro technology is supported along with HP Client Management Solutions, for use in business environments, as well as various other enterprise-class security features, including pre-boot authentication, a self-healing BIOS, and a fingerprint reader.
HP is planning to ship the standard edition of the EliteBook Folio 1020 in February, with the Special Edition set to follow in April. Pricing for the notebooks has not yet been released.
