HP Elite x3 hands-on review
HP's Windows Phone can be your PC too
Windows Phone was a rare sight at Mobile World Congress this year, but HP is still flying the flag for Microsoft’s mobile OS with the Elite x3.
In fact, this fabulous 6in phablet seems to put Microsoft’s own smartphone efforts to shame.
With an odd mix of business credentials and high-spec audio courtesy of speaker specialists Bang & Olufsen, we knew this was one to check out on the MWC show floor.
In case the recent influx of 5.7in phones had you convinced that phablets weren’t actually that big, the Elite x3 will change your mind. This thing is HUGE. The 6in display takes up most of the front, but those silver metal speaker grilles add to the bulk. I could still grip it comfortably in one hand, but you’ll definitely need two to reach every part of the display.
It feels a hell of a lot more premium than the Lumia 650, but we still wish HP had machined the body out of metal; everything is made from glossy plastic, and it’s incredibly quick to attract fingerprints.
The speakers are B&O-branded, and certainly have an attractive pattern that matches the brand’s style, but I wasn’t able to get an idea of sound quality on the drowded MWC show floor – that’ll have to wait for a full review.
With a top-spec 2K resolution, which still looks pin-sharp over six inches, the screen is something special. It’s an OLED panel, too, so movies and pictures with deep blacks look fantastic.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
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