Last week, Microsoft opened pre-orders in the UK for the Elite x3, HP's new Windows 10 Mobile flagship phone. Now, HP itself has started accepting orders for the high-end handset there, promising delivery "in 5-10 working days".
HP is charging £706.80 for the device; that might seem like an oddly specific amount, but there's a good reason for that. The price includes 20% VAT (value-added tax); many UK businesses - at which the Elite x3 is primarily aimed - that purchase the device will do so at the VAT-exclusive price of £589.
Another curiosity is that HP has listed the smartphone under the Laptops section of its site. But again, there is some method in this apparent madness.
HP is promoting the Elite x3 as its "first built for business 3-in-1 device", offering "the power and productivity of a PC, the versatility of a tablet, and the connectivity of a smartphone in the palm of your hand".
Its store listing also highlights the benefits of the notebook-style Lap Dock, as well as the Desk Dock accessory, both of which enable the PC-like Continuum experience in Windows 10 Mobile. However, unlike Microsoft - which is offering the Desk Dock as part of a bundle with the handset for £749 (roughly £624 excluding VAT), HP's £706.80 price includes only the phone itself, with the Dock accessories listed as optional extras, albeit without no pricing information available.
Key specs of the Elite x3 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
The Elite x3 comes with both an iris scanner and a fingerprint reader - but the latter won't actually work when the handsets begin shipping. Documentation on HP's site recently stated that the sensor "will not be enabled until OTA update in Fall 2016". The UK store listing for the device doesn't refer to a specific estimated timeframe for that update's rollout, saying only that it's "coming soon".
You can find out more about the Elite x3 in our feature article from earlier this year, including a chat with a HP executive about the handset's development.
Source: HP Store UK
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