By Rieva Lesonsky
Yes, I know most people wouldn’t use sexy and PC in the same sentence, but when I took the HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G1 out of its box, I said to my significant other, “That’s one sexy looking computer.”
All my previous laptops had been of the clunky variety, functional of course, but not very attractive. I was excited to see if the function of the EliteBook would equal its form.
Before I tell you the answer, let me set the stage. HP sent me the HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G1 to test and review. I was immediately intimidated, since I’m hardly a tech expert. So I have linked to some reviews at the end of the post that will give you a more in-depth tech perspective.
The EliteBook is an Ultrabook and made for business, not consumer use. I suppose that’s why it shipped with Windows 7 Pro loaded, instead of the newer Windows 8.1 (although HP included a Windows 8.1 program in the package. Honestly it was a bit of a pain to load Windows 8 since the computer does not have an optical drive.
Once the software was loaded, it was smooth sailing—almost. HP has given the traditional touchpad the heave-ho. Instead this EliteBook features a no-button, completely touchable ForcePad. I found this a little tough to master at first. In fact at the beginning I was so flummoxed by the ForcePad, I used a wireless mouse for a few days. I finally got the hang of the ForcePad and it’s pretty sweet.
But let’s get back to why I said the EliteBook was sexy. First of all it’s light (weighing in at a bit more than 3 pounds), sleek and easy to tote around. It’s a 14-inch computer, which, after years of using smaller laptops, seems quite luxurious.
From a traveler’s perspective this is a worthy companion. Battery life is decent—I got a little over six hours. But perhaps more important, HP says the computer is designed to withstand being dropped, and has passed testing for “functional shock, vibration, dust, humidity, altitude, and extreme temperatures.”
For business owners, your favorite part of the EliteBook may be its security system, which includes a TPM 1.2 Embedded Security Chip, an integrated Smart Card Reader, HP’s built-in security software and a fingerprint reader.
My favorite part was the backlit keyboard. As a writer it makes for easy, responsive typing and best of all, the keyboard is spill-proof. Given that my significant other recently accidently drowned my old PC, this feature could be a business-saver.
If you order an EliteBook, I would go for the optional touchscreen. There’s really no point to getting a computer with Windows 8.1 and not having a touchscreen. Other than that, this the “sexiest” PC I’ve ever seen.
You can order an UltraBook here on Amazon. You can read more about it at:
- 1CloudRoad
- ChipChick
- Absolutely Windows
- GearDiary
Rieva Lesonsky is CEO of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Email Rieva at rieva@smallbizdaily.com, follow her on Google+ and Twitter.com/Rieva and visit her website, SmallBizDaily.com, to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for Rieva’s free TrendCast reports.
