Pricing announced for HP Compaq's 2710p Tablet PC

Time to start counting those pennies, HP just announced the pricing on their new 12.1-inch, 3.6-pound 2710p Tablet PC. $1,649 gets you through the door sans OS but with a 1.06GHz Core 2 Duo ULV U7500 processor, 1GB of DDR2 memory, GMA X3100 graphics, and 60GB 4200 PATA disk. Bump it up to $2,478 for a 1.2GHz U7600, 80GB 4200RPM PATA disk, 2GB memory, Bluetooth 2.0, and a Vista Business pre-install. Each config brings that thin, bright, battery friendly WXGA LED-backlit display (with digitizer) we've heard rumored since January. However, HP confusingly masks this important fact with superfluous marketing speak by calling 'em "Illumi-Lite" displays. In fact, you won't find a mention of LED backlighting anywhere on the product page, not even in the detailed specifications. Oh right, consumers are idiots... gotcha. Still no release date so Lenovo X-series owners can rest easy for the time being.

[Thanks, Ravi V.]

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 16th 2007 9:19AM]

HP is making some nice looking machines of late, but I have to research how well they hold up over time.

[Big @ Jul 16th 2007 9:25AM]

The deal breaker for me would be the lack of the integrated WEB CAM. I simply MUST have it in any laptop I buy. And this is odd they'd not include it considering they include it in most of their lesser new models.

And yes, HP is turning out some fantastic stuff lately.

[Joe Smith @ Jul 16th 2007 9:38AM]

hi big. that looks like an integrated webcam on the top of the screen in that picture.

[foodle @ Jul 16th 2007 9:43AM]

Nice machine except for the slow puny 1.8" 4200 rpm harddrive.

[snife @ Jul 16th 2007 10:35AM]

Thats a big except - as someone who has grown to hate the ThinkPad X41 because of the HDD, I would never touch a system with a 1.8" drive.

[Elais @ Jul 16th 2007 9:46AM]

I wonder why they didn't include any buttons on the screen bezel for tablet mode

[om007 @ Jul 16th 2007 9:51AM]

Hi Big,

if you look carefully at the datasheet

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12718_na/12718_na.HTML

you will see that you can configure a webcam on selected models of the 2710p:

Integrated Camera (select models)

2 Megapixel (1600 x 1200 max resolution)
Manual adjust Macro lens
Full 30 frames/sec video at 800x600 or VGA (640x480) resolution


i agree with you it is quite well hidden feature ...

Regards

Om007

[iforgot @ Jul 16th 2007 10:08AM]

I am also tracking this device as a possible new system for the Fall, and wondering about the build quality. It's a nice looking device, if you don't need high performance.

I recently sold my Macbook Pro because I couldn't bear the Cult of Mac, but man, was the built in webcam quality good (along with most other components). I bought a Samsung Q1U for a travel computer, and man is the webcam quality awful. Basically useless. It's more than just a checklist item.

Maybe they will offer a decently priced solid state hard disk by the time the product is released, or just upgrade it yourself - with the price of 2GB SO-DIMMS finally reasonable, it only makes sense to at least do your own memory upgrade.

[Nicholas Moline @ Jul 16th 2007 10:10AM]

I have been looking forward to this. I hoped it would come in a little cheaper. I want to sell my TC1100 for 6-700 and try and purchase this but at 2 grand that is still a little high for me. Maybe I will wait until my trip to the Casino this weekend.

[fd @ Jul 16th 2007 10:27AM]

Is there any information about the screen quality?
Is it grainy - due to the digitizer (?) - like the TX series of tablet screens?
And is it matte? Or is there a matte option?

The TX screen gave me headaches as everything was slightly blurry. Plus for bright environments - think car tablet with GPS - the screen was unreadable. It was one pure reflection of anything in the car. I had to return it to the store. I've looked at some slightly different 12" HP Tablets, but they all use that same screen.

I thought the bezel buttons were handy in tablet mode, but maybe HP now has a software solution for those?

[fd @ Jul 16th 2007 10:38AM]

Missed the direct link to the product info.Sounds like they listened
to glare complaints :)

"12.1 in Illumi-Lite, WXGA UWVA, anti-glare with Digitizer"

The 271 model even lists:

"12.1 in Illumi-Lite, WXGA UWVA, anti-glare with Digitizer and Outdoor View"

Hoping there will be reviews soon.

[James Sonne @ Jul 16th 2007 10:55AM]

The cheapest one, $1650, comes with Vista Business pre-installed. Also, I can add it to the cart and checkout right now, with a ship date of 7/21. It's released now.

[SAM @ Jul 16th 2007 12:13PM]

Does it have an active or passive digitizer?
If active, what type..Wacom?

[stillworkingwiththeoldat&tphonesimandplan @ Jul 16th 2007 2:19PM]

are these processors strong enough. I know that they are designed for battery life but is the trade off worth it. Does anybody know how they would compare to a pentim 4 2.4 I was thinking of getting the tx1220us but i like the looks of this one better and how thin it is but i'm looking for it to be my only computer not a second one.

[Joey @ Jul 16th 2007 2:53PM]

Ripoff. You can get a loaded (7200RPM, high-resolution display, oodles of memory) Thinkpad X60/X61 tablet for ~$1700 during one of their many sales / 15% coupon offers.

[JPG @ Jul 16th 2007 10:53PM]

Did anyone else notice how nothing is listed about the integrated EV-DO or HSDPA wireless modules? Didn't we just see the FCC filings for this?