One of the interesting things about the current crop of Windows 8 tablets is the many opportunities it gives PC makers to come up with clever accessories. For a standard laptop, there are, I suppose, bags and sleeves, but once you have that and maybe a mouse, you're pretty much done.
HP ElitePad 900
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
The Windows 8 tablets we've seen are essentially nearly identical black slabs of metal, glass, and plastic, whether from Acer, Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard, or others. Most of these devices even have identical specs, with Intel Atom processors, 2GB of RAM, and 64GB of solid-state drive (SSD) storage, so coming up with the proper accessories is even more important for differentiating from the pack.
The HP ElitePad 900 could have been just yet another slablike Windows 8 tablet, but this business-oriented system offers the widest range of tablet accessories we've seen to date, making it very flexible for mobile, home, and office use.
The tablet itself starts at $699, but that only includes a 32GB SSD. Trading up to a 64GB SSD to match other Windows 8 tablets takes you to $799. That's more than roughly comparable consumer tablets cost, but mobile broadband capabilities from T-Mobile or AT&T are included. Some configurations also currently include two years of 4G data from T-Mobile.
The set of accessories that came with our review unit is what really makes the ElitePad interesting. Unfortunately, the most interesting accessory -- called the "productivity jacket" -- is not yet available. It's a keyboard case with three adjustable screen angles, a very nice portable keyboard, and expansion ports that are built right into the case. When available sometime this spring it will cost $199, which is steep for a keyboard case, but this is essentially a sleeve, keyboard, and docking station in one.
Currently available are an expansion jacket, with HDMI and USB ports, plus room for an optional extra battery ($79), and a weighted docking station, with multiple video and data ports ($119). Putting all three together adds almost $400 to the already expensive $799 tablet. For $1,200, you could get a 13-inch
There is, however, a justification for this hefty investment. HP created the ElitePad 900 for business customers, not the casual consumers who might buy one of the many $500-$600 Atom Windows 8 tablets we've previously reviewed. The ElitePad is built with corporate IT department needs in mind, with support for various managed deployment technologies, such as HP BIOS Protection and LANDesk. Also to that end, the tablet itself lacks even a USB port -- for security reasons, all ports are relegated to the docks and case accessories (a SIM card and microSD card slot are under a tiny pin-open panel). That's something to keep in mind if you need on-the-go connectivity. Note that NFC is built in, but has yet to become a mainstream data transfer tool.
Many of HP's business-focused products, such as its early ultrabooks, make great crossover PCs and have a lot of consumer appeal. The ElitePad probably isn't one of those, as its high price and security quirks aren't as consumer-friendly as many of the other Intel Atom windows 8 tablets we've reviewed.