HP Split X2 laptop-tablet has newer Intel processors, thinner design, $599 price

HP had a pretty good idea going with the first HP Envy X2, which looked like a laptop, had a screen that split into its own tablet, and didn’t cost much. The new HP Split X2, announced today and coming July 16 to the US, is a refinement on the same concept.

It has the latest Bay Trail Intel Atom or Haswell processors, and a starting price of $599 (around £360, AU$650, although UK and Australian details were not announced). But will that be enough to stand out?

The tablet-connecting hinge has been redesigned, with a new stabilizing lever, plus it’s thinner and lighter than before, weighing at 4.3 pounds (1.95kg) or 2.5 pounds (1.1kg) for the tablet top half alone. That tablet part now contains the hard drive, up to a 500GB hybrid. There’s 4-8GB of RAM depending on the configuration. The new Split X2 comes in white, silver or red.

It’s a fair price for a decent laptop, but will it be enough? And in an age of thinner Windows 8 tablets, will the Split’s tablet half feel too heavy? We’ll know more when we see one later this summer.