Three months ago, Microsoft slashed $200 off the cost of HP"s Elite x3 Windows 10 Mobile flagship, along with the Desk Dock accessory, cutting its price from $799 to $599. In mid-July, it increased that discount by a further $100, reducing it to $499.
Now, Microsoft has ditched the extra $100 discount, nudging the price of the Elite x3 and Desk Dock bundle back up to $599. That"s still significantly less than the bundle"s current price at HP.com, where it"s currently being sold for $779.
Bizarrely, HP claims to be offering $69 off the bundle, putting its "full" list price at $848, despite the fact that the company has never sold it at that price. HP opened pre-orders for the bundle at $799 in September, and its list price has remained at that amount ever since. There are three possibilities: 1) HP has increased the standard price of the bundle; 2) it"s overstated the list price to make its $69 discount appear more generous; or 3) it"s an error in the listing.
Considering HP"s odd pricing strategy in the UK - where it"s been raising and reducing the cost of the bundle every few weeks since it launched - anything seems possible.
The Elite x3 isn"t exactly a "new" device any more. It was originally announced a year and a half ago, and its key specs include:
- 5.96-inch AMOLED with Quad HD (2560x1440px) resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 4, and anti-reflective coating
- Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB onboard storage (plus microSD card support)
- 16MP rear camera
- 8MP front-facing camera
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
- Bluetooth 4.0
- NFC support
- 4G LTE connectivity
- Optional dual-SIM support
- USB 3.0 port with Type-C connector
- Iris scanner
- Fingerprint scanner
- IP67 rating for dust- and water-resistance
- MIL-STD-810G rating, assuring device protection for drops from up to 1 meter
- Pogo pins
- Qi wireless charging
- 4150mAh battery
- 161.8 x 83.5 x 7.8mm; 194g
Make sure you check out our HP Elite x3 review if you"re thinking of buying one.
Source: Microsoft Store