Many of us are obsessed by fashion and we tend to follow the latest trends. Computers are not exception and we see users around us who buy the latest gadgets and technology as soon as they launched.
The HP Elitebook 8460p laptop is not meant for such people as it goes against these trends, in the sense that while the latest rage is the slim and light ‘ultrabook’ laptops, the 8460p has a chunky and robust feeling. It is heavy duty and weights around 2.5 kg, which is almost double the ultrabooks with a similar screen size.
However this is the price to be paid for the robustness of this notebook which HP says was tested for drops, vibrations and heat in line with military standards.
The specs of this model speak for themselves and truly deliver. Our testing model had an Intel Core i7 2.7GHz processor, a 14-inch HD display, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB SATA II hard disk, Wi-Fi, built-in SIM card slot for mobile broadband, Bluetooth, an eSATA port, and Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit. The model performed well with anything we could throw at it.
Keyboard is good but not backlit, something which is becoming common on laptops. However it supports multi-touch gestures. The pointing stick at the middle of the keyboard comes handy but is also a bit out of fashion as an interface mode. The touchpad is quite large and the buttons are rubberized.
Battery life is good and this is an important element for road warriors. There is an option to have a nine cell battery which gives or power on end.
In terms of ports, the 4860p comes with two USB 3.0 ports, eSATA and SD-card readers. While there’s no HDMI port, this is not so critical for such a laptop intended for business use.
Apart from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the 8460p has a slot for a SIM card, so that it can access mobile broadband without the need of a dongle or USB stick.
Windows 7 64-bit is the best Windows version you can have right now and HP puts in its normal suite of security and communication enhancement software. QuickWeb is a new addition from HP, which provides direct access to internet through a shortcut without loading the full operating system.
Our verdict is that this laptop may be heavy but it is durable and can withstand rough treatment out of the office. Its top specs make it an ideal tool for road warriors who have to work from outside environments which are very different from the comfort of the office or home.