Last year's technology, today. I knew going in that this was bargain hunting through first generation stuff right when the good stuff was about to hit. I am not disappointed.
Ok, so here's the update--I know everyone (or no one) is waiting anxiously for an update. First of all, some context. I live and work outside the US and therefore ordering hardware is difficult on almost every level. As I am currently on an annual visit to the US I had ordered the Envy X2 prior to my arrival and have now been using it for two days.
Start-up of the machine out of the box was fine but did give me some concern while it was still updating--As expected, it had 2-3 rounds of windows updates, defender and of course dozens of app updates. So... the rounds of updates took probably 2+hours. The downloading was fast but the OS updates were painfully slow--what can you expect, it is an SD 835. The real concern came in with video playback not working in Edge. The video screen would either be green or black...I was starting to look through the documentation for returning... but after the last update everything was working...mystery not solved but problem vanished.
Windows hello is fast and almost un-noticeable--it just works.
The hardware is beautiful and solid. Look and build quality of the tablet is an A. To get an A+ it would be a couple of ounces lighter but it looks and feels fabulous. HP really puts out some nice equipment and this will look nice next to my Elite X3... (yes, I'm one of those clinging to the past for a while longer).
Screen is beautiful from almost every aspect. and for those of you that want to type in the bright sun...this will get you there--it gets really bright. I would give it an A+.
Keyboard is ok but feels a bit plastic-y when typing--I would give it a B- where I would give the Surface Pro keyboard a B+. There is some flex but really not too much--the keyboard just does not feel quite top notch. Having said that, I could easily see myself typing a few dozen pages without any problem.
Pen works great--I'm not an artist but have become used to using pen for notes in meetings--marking up PowerPoints or just notes in OneNote. FYI--if OneNote is too heavy give a look to Bamboo Paper. As a basic note taking app it is well suited for a light device. Pen score: A (but no serious artwork or boundary-pushing from my use cases)
And now...the final big-ticket item: Battery Life. Wow! A+. I'm not a professional reviewer so no video playback loops and no quantitative testing...but 24 hours in and its at 80%. Clearly not running the whole time but stand-by power is excellent and browsing/reading utilization is really battery-sipping. Battery life: A+.
So, should you get one? Up to you...there are bargains out there and they will only get cheaper through the end of the year. I'm sure a new wave of 8cx and others are about to launch which will push these down further.
Apps: All windows store apps. I have not upgraded from S Mode. I'm using (in no particular order) Edge, Office, Bamboo Paper, Skype, One Drive, Photoshop Express, To Do, Whiteboard, Audible, Translator and the usual onboard apps
Final thoughts: I got this knowing that my (personal, not work/professional) use case is light consumption--reading and Net Flix but not serious apps requiring heavy computing power. That said, I suspect this is the case for a LOT of people--even some who don't admit it.
It is a nice machine and is working very well. I am not disappointed in the least...I'll let you know in a couple of weeks if the initial good impressions hold up.