HP EliteBook 2540p Hands On

HP was kind enough to send over an HP EliteBook 2540p for review. The unit is nicely configured and is the kind of notebook that road warriors yearn for. This is truly a professional-grade notebook and while we’re working on a full review we thought we’d give you our first impressions of the 2540p.

From the first time you use the 2540p, it’s apparent that it’s not your run of the mill notebook. Its aluminum and magnesium construction feels very solid and everything about it just feels great.

While it weighs in at just under four pounds, the 2540p HP sent over is packed with features and high-performance components. At the heart of the 2540p is a 2.13GHz Intel Core i7 low-voltage processor, 4GB of memory and a 1.8″ 250GB hard drive.The $1,629 configuration of the 2540p comes with a 6-cell battery that sticks out of the back of the computer.

The footprint of the 2540p is roughly the same as a standard  letter-sized sheet of paper, which means it can easily fit in a small bag or large purse, making it much easier to travel with than the 14″ and 15″ notebooks that companies issue to most employees.

Most manufacturers offer glossy displays by default on almost every consumer notebook and many business notebooks. Thankfully, HP’s stuck with anti-glare displays on the EliteBook line. While glossy displays may look pretty on store shelves, they can be impossible to use outdoors or in harsh lighting conditions. The EliteBook 2540p’s display is not marketed as an outdoor display, but we’ve found it to be perfectly fine to use in indirect sunlight. The above picture was taken during lunch hour on a sunny California afternoon.

So far, the 2540p seems to have plenty of horsepower to serve business users well. The 2540p is more expensive than many notebooks, but it might be worth the price if you put a premium on durability and mobility. Stay tuned for a full review of the 2540p.