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HP Pavilion x2 12 Convertible Review

Affordable, but not perfect. HP does not even charge 700 Euros (~$790) for its new Windows detachable, which comes with a Core-m processor, a digitizer and a keyboard dock. But how does the device compare with the much more expensive Surface Pro 4 from Microsoft?

For the original German review, see here.

While the sales of tablets have been going down for some time now, the so called convertibles or 2-in-a devices such as the Surface Pro 4 are becoming increasingly popular. HP’s Pavilion x1 12 is now a new competitor for Microsoft’s successful product.

Currently, there is only one configuration of the Pavilion x2 12 for a comparatively low price of 700 Euros (~$790). It is equipped with a 12-inch IPS display (1920x1280 pixels), a current Core m3-6Y30 as well as 4 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD. Even the corresponding keyboard dock and the active digitizer are already included – a comparable Surface is about 200 Euros (~$226) more expensive. Other alternatives are the Lenovo Miix 700 (800 Euros/~$903, Core m5-6Y54) or the Aspire Switch Alpha 12 (800 Euros/~$903, Core i5-6200U) from Acer.

HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng (Pavilion x2 Series)
Processor
Intel Core m3-6Y30 2 x 0.9 - 2.2 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 515, Core: 850 MHz, Memory: 1866 MHz, 20.19.15.4377
Memory
4 GB 
, Dual-Channel LPDDR3-1866, soldered
Display
12.00 inch 3:2, 1920 x 1280 pixel 192 PPI, capacitve, native pen support, LG Philips LGD04A5, IPS, LED-Backlight, glossy: yes, detachable screen
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-Y Premium PCH
Storage
SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G, 128 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Skylake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: Headset port (3.5 mm jack), Card Reader: microSD
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19 x 300 x 220 ( = 0.75 x 11.81 x 8.66 in)
Battery
33 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 2.0 Megapixels
Additional features
Speakers: B&O Stereo speakers, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 45-Watt PSU, active digitizer, HP Support Assistant, HP Recovery Manager, 12 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
1.47 kg ( = 51.85 oz / 3.24 pounds), Power Supply: 315 g ( = 11.11 oz / 0.69 pounds)
Price
700 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

You do not get an elegant unibody chassis when you buy the Pavilion x2 for 700 Euros (~$790), but the case is still well-built and sophisticated. The matte-silver design uses a combination of aluminum (rear of the tablet) and painted plastic (front of the tablet, dock), but only experienced users will see the difference due to the same color. Because of the construction, there is a small gap surrounding the outer display frame, which could have been smaller and more even in the case of our review unit.

At around 760 grams (~1.7 lb; 1.47 kg/~3.7 lb including dock), the Pavilion is pretty much on par with the Surface, and the height of 8.4 millimeters (~0.33 in) is also almost identical. HP’s device does appear rather bulkier though, thanks to the speakers at the side of the device, but the wider frame can also have some advantages in practice. Unfortunately, we have to criticize both the tablet as well as the dock in terms of stability: Concentrated pressure is no problem for either, but they are susceptible to twisting attempts and they bend both visibly and audibly even with moderate pressure. Still, this is not a huge problem considering the price range.

The connection between the dock and the tablet is made via full-fledged hinge with an opening angle of up to 130 degrees, so you can simply use the device like a regular notebook if necessary. Handy: Instead of a tricky mechanism, the two parts are held together by two magnets. Unfortunately, the tablet does wiggle around a bit at the hinge, which is a common issue for these devices. Furthermore, the mechanism – especially when the lid is (almost) closed –could be a bit smoother.

Size Comparison

300 mm / 11.8 inch 220 mm / 8.66 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 1.5 kg3.24 lbs293 mm / 11.5 inch 224 mm / 8.82 inch 14.5 mm / 0.571 inch 1.1 kg2.38 lbs291 mm / 11.5 inch 201 mm / 7.91 inch 11 mm / 0.4331 inch 1.3 kg2.84 lbs292 mm / 11.5 inch 202 mm / 7.95 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 1.1 kg2.35 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

As is typical for a tablet, the Pavilion offers only a handful of ports, more specifically 1x USB 2.0, 1x micro-HDMI, the headset jack as well as a USB Type-C port (USB 3.1 Gen.1). The latter is also used for the power adapter, so you can only use the slow USB 2.0 port for peripherals. The decision to implement HDMI 1.4 instead of DisplayPort is not perfect either when you consider the lower bandwidth – 4K monitors can only be driven at 30 Hz. The card reader is easy to access, but only supports the smaller microSD format.

Left side: USB 2.0, headset, volume rocker
Left side: USB 2.0, headset, volume rocker
Right side: microSD reader, micro-HDMI, USB 3.0 Type-C/AC power
Right side: microSD reader, micro-HDMI, USB 3.0 Type-C/AC power

Communication

HP’s decision to implement the wireless adapter Intel Wireless-AC 3165 is a compromise between price and performance. It does support all modern standards such as Bluetooth 4.2 and WLAN according to 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), but only uses one transmission stream. The maximum transfer rate is therefore limited to 433 Mbps. We managed about 260 to 280 Mbps under perfect conditions (short distance, router Linksys EA8500), so even fast Internet connection should not be slowed down. LAN or WWAN connections can only be established via USB adapter.

Networking
iperf Server (receive) TCP 1 m
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Broadcom 802.11ac
570 MBit/s
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
Realtek RTL8723BS
34.95 MBit/s
iperf Client (transmit) TCP 1 m
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Broadcom 802.11ac
397 MBit/s
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
Realtek RTL8723BS
37.44 MBit/s

Accessories

Besides the tablet and the keyboard dock, there is also a corresponding 45-watt power adapter, the previously mentioned digitizer as well as the usual service and warranty brochures in the box. There are no other additions – but we did not miss anything important, either.

Maintenance

Due to the lack of visible screws you can expect either a glued or otherwise fixed chassis, which cannot be easily opened by the customer. The most important components such as CPU and memory are soldered and cannot be upgraded anyway; only the M.2-SSD as well as the WLAN module should be replaceable.

Warranty

With a warranty of just one year, HP falls behind other manufacturers such as Acer, which offer a two-year warranty. Fortunately, an upgrade to a three-year Pickup & Return service (CarePack U4819E) costs just 77 Euros (~$87) – a very fair offer in our opinion.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The provided dock features a full-fledged keyboard, which does not have to hide behind the input devices of a similarly sized notebook. The keys (15 x 15 mm/~0.6 x 0.6 in) have medium travel and the pressure point is conveniently firm, which is just marginally affected by the slight bouncing in the center. Another positive aspect we want to mention is the quiet typing noise. Sadly, the input lacks a background illumination, and the layout differs slightly from the standard (small Shift, different sized arrow keys).

Touchpad

The touchpad (5.5 x 10 centimeters/~2.2 x 4 in) is located in the center, beneath the keyboard. The mouse replacement is provided by Synaptics and convinces with good gliding capabilities, flawless precision and gently executed multi-touch gestures with up to three fingers, so it is often not necessary to use an external mouse. The only drawback is the pretty spongy stroke of the integrated mouse buttons – we would prefer dedicated buttons.

Touchscreen and Digitizer

Additional input methods are the capacitive touchscreen as well as the active digitizer (shipped with AAAA-battery) with support for different pressure levels. The stylus is particularly accurate in the center of the screen, but the cursor and the tip of the stylus only differ by up to 1 millimeter in the peripheral areas as well.

Input devices
Input devices

Display

Subpixel-array
Subpixel-array

Just like the rivals, HP follows the current trend and uses a display in the pretty narrow 3:2 aspect ratio. This ratio is very ergonomic particularly in the tablet mode. The resolution of the screen, however, is comparatively low at 1920x1280 pixels while the rivals from Microsoft (2736x1824 pixels),  Acer and Lenovo (2160x1440 pixels) use higher resolutions. Although you will sometimes notice the difference when you handle PDF documents or pictures, we do not think it is a big problem – the pixel density of the Pavilion is sufficiently sharp at 192 PPI, and the higher resolution will also increase the costs as well as the power consumption. 

The LED backlight manages 308 cd/m² on the maximum setting, which is roughly on par with the Aspire Switch Alpha 12 and the IdeaPad Miix 700. By far the brightest device is also the most expensive one, the Surface Pro 4 from Microsoft. One advantage of the Pavilion is the lack of PWM flickering, whereas other devices are more or less affected by this problem.

317
cd/m²
311
cd/m²
307
cd/m²
309
cd/m²
314
cd/m²
303
cd/m²
306
cd/m²
307
cd/m²
295
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LGD04A5 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 317 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 307.7 cd/m² Minimum: 19 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 314 cd/m²
Contrast: 654:1 (Black: 0.48 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.12 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
71.74% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
46.81% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
52.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
72.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
53.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.35
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
LG Philips LGD04A5, IPS, 1920x1280, 12.00
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Samsung SDC3853, IPS, 2736x1824, 12.30
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM
Panasonic VVX12T041N00, IPS, 2160x1440, 12.00
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
Samsung L_QLLTN120QL01L01, IPS, 2160x1440, 12.00
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S W700N
Digital Flat Panel (NoName), sAMOLED, 2160x1440, 12.10
Display
30%
27%
32%
Display P3 Coverage
53.2
67.5
27%
65.5
23%
68.1
28%
sRGB Coverage
72.4
96.6
33%
96.1
33%
97.4
35%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
52.9
69
30%
66.9
26%
70.2
33%
Response Times
-18%
11%
31%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
38 ?(17, 21)
46 ?(17.2, 28.8)
-21%
20 ?(5, 15, detail 5 schraffiert)
47%
30 ?(11, 19)
21%
Response Time Black / White *
27 ?(14, 13)
31 ?(6, 25.2)
-15%
34 ?(15, 19, PWM@100% mit/ohne PSU)
-26%
16 ?(4.4, 11.6)
41%
PWM Frequency
50 ?(50)
1000 ?(100)
200 ?(18)
Screen
40%
10%
13%
224%
Brightness middle
314
389.2
24%
345
10%
341
9%
363
16%
Brightness
308
392
27%
328
6%
318
3%
378
23%
Brightness Distribution
93
92
-1%
91
-2%
87
-6%
90
-3%
Black Level *
0.48
0.27
44%
0.38
21%
0.36
25%
0.03
94%
Contrast
654
1441
120%
908
39%
947
45%
12100
1750%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.12
3.61
41%
8.4
-37%
6
2%
4.8
22%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.92
11.9
-9%
6.91
37%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.1
3.8
38%
4.3
30%
8.12
-33%
5.04
17%
Gamma
2.35 94%
2.16 102%
2.63 84%
2.23 99%
2.57 86%
CCT
7391 88%
5969 109%
7368 88%
7011 93%
7255 90%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
46.81
63
35%
62
32%
63.4
35%
73
56%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
71.74
97
35%
97.4
36%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
17% / 30%
16% / 14%
25% / 20%
224% / 224%

* ... smaller is better

AdobeRGB coverage (46.%)
AdobeRGB coverage (46.8%)
sRGB coverage (71.7%)
sRGB coverage (71.7%)

The maximum luminance and the black value (0.48 cd/m²) result in a contrast ratio of 645:1 – slightly lower compared to some other IPS display, but still a decent result. Subjectively, we would say the picture is conveniently rich in combination with the glossy screen surface, even though the colors appear slightly pale compared to the rivals.

A look at the CalMAN measurements explains our impression: The panel does not – especially after a calibration – show big deviations for the colors and the grayscale, but the color space cannot cover big parts of the sRGB standard for blue and magenta. Professional users from the graphics and picture segment will therefore not be happy with the Pavilion x2.

Grayscale
Grayscale
ColorChecker
ColorChecker
Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps
Grayscale (calibrated)
Grayscale (calibrated)
ColorChecker (calibrated)
ColorChecker (calibrated)
Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)

You can basically use the tablet in the outdoors with a luminance of around 300 cd/m², which is not reduced on battery power. But the backlight is not powerful enough to overcome reflections on the glossy screen surface – the visibility is therefore only very good in the shade.

Outdoor use (sunshine)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
27 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 63 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
38 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17 ms rise
↘ 21 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 49 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.8 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18034 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Viewing angles HP Pavilion x2 12
Viewing angles HP Pavilion x2 12

Thanks to the IPS technology, the display shows only slight brightness and contrast drops with vertical shifts of the viewing angle, while the colors are mainly unaffected. The Pavilion is average compared to the rivals in this respect; there are without a doubt even better IPS panels such as the one in the MacBook 12, but the viewing angle stability is excellent compared to any TN panel.

Performance

2.2 GHz maximum Turbo Boost
2.2 GHz maximum Turbo Boost

Intel's Core m3-6Y30 represents the entry-level model of the frugal Core-m series based on the current Skylake architecture. With two CPU cores, including Hyperthreading, the chip generally does not differ from the faster Core-i series, but the power consumption is much lower due to lower clocks (0.9 to 2.2 GHz). The m3-6Y30 has a TDP of only 4.5 watts by default – a value that can be adjusted by the manufacturers to improve the Turbo Boost utilization.

The integrated graphics unit, HD Graphics 515 (24 EUs) is basically just a lower clocked version of the familiar HD Graphics 520. The GPU with DirectX 12 support is specified with a clock between 300 up to 850 MHz depending on the temperatures and the consumption.

The memory equipment of our test device includes 4 GB soldered LPDDR3 1866 RAM (dual-channel) as well as a 128 GB M.2-SSD. Unfortunately, the latter is attached via the common SATA interface and not the fast PCIe bus.

Processor

Perfect ...
Perfect ...
... Turbo Boost utilization
... Turbo Boost utilization

We have already mentioned that notebook manufacturers can adjust Intel's TDP limit when the cooling is sufficient – and therefore influence the performance dramatically. Just like Microsoft, Apple, and others, HP makes use of this possibility: Instead of 4.5 watts, the Core m3-6Y30 in the Pavilion x2 can consume 8.0 watts (even 15 watts for a short time), which results in a perfect Turbo Boost utilization. Even after several Cinebench R15 runs, the CPU will run at the maximum 2.2 (Single) and 2.0 GHz (Multi), respectively, and delivers excellent performance results – both on mains as well as battery power.

The Aspire Switch Alpha is even better since it integrates a full ULV processor with a TDP of 15 watts thanks to innovative liquid cooling.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM
Intel Core i5-6200U
114 Points +24%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
Intel Core m5-6Y54
99 Points +8%
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
Intel Core m3-6Y30
92 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
91 Points -1%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
90 Points -2%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
88 Points -4%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S W700N
Intel Core m3-6Y30
86 Points -7%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM
Intel Core i5-6200U
289 Points +34%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
218 Points +1%
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
Intel Core m3-6Y30
216 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
206 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S W700N
Intel Core m3-6Y30
204 Points -6%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
Intel Core m5-6Y54
200 Points -7%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
Intel Core m5-6Y54
1.06 Points +2%
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
Intel Core m3-6Y30
1.04 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
1 Points -4%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
0.95 Points -9%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
0.98 Points -6%
CPU Multi 64Bit
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
Intel Core m3-6Y30
2.4 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
2.35 Points -2%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
2.29 Points -5%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
2.27 Points -5%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
Intel Core m5-6Y54
2.08 Points -13%
X264 HD Benchmark 4.0
Pass 1
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
Intel Core m3-6Y30
77 fps
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
76.8 fps 0%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
69 (61.3min - 76.8max) fps -10%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
Intel Core m5-6Y54
67.5 fps -12%
Pass 2
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
Intel Core m3-6Y30
14.26 fps
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel Core m3-6Y30
14.15 fps -1%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
13 (11.7min - 14.2max) fps -9%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
Intel Core m5-6Y54
12.3 fps -14%
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6088
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
7321
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
3477
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
27.26 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.4 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.04 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
33.03 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
216 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
92 Points
Help

Storage Devices

AS SSD Benchmark
AS SSD Benchmark

The integrated SSD is a SanDisk Z400s, more precisely the 128 GB M.2 model from the series. The drive is based on a Silicon Motion Controller (SM2246XT) in combination with 15-nm MLC-NAND and is an entry-level solution in terms of performance: While the sequential read rate is completely okay at just under 500 MB/s and is only clearly beaten by modern PCIe-SSDs, the write performance is rather mediocre at around 180 MB/s. It is a similar situation for the performance of small 4K files as well as multiple accesses. At least, the Z400s promises to be a reliable solution thanks to a three-year warranty and a specified write performance of 72 TBW.

HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM
Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
Samsung MZNLN128HCGR-000L2
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Apple SSD AP0256
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
22%
35%
45%
123%
Read Seq
477.3
663
39%
518
9%
497.9
4%
754
58%
Write Seq
184.3
158.2
-14%
199.9
8%
153.5
-17%
638
246%
Read 512
226.2
313.1
38%
374.9
66%
401.2
77%
616
172%
Write 512
176.2
158.2
-10%
201
14%
154.5
-12%
678
285%
Read 4k
21.12
30.14
43%
29.3
39%
36.2
71%
14.6
-31%
Write 4k
57.9
68
17%
76.8
33%
95.5
65%
20.5
-65%
Read 4k QD32
136.4
243.7
79%
272
99%
389.5
186%
464
240%
Write 4k QD32
173.2
149.2
-14%
197.1
14%
154
-11%
315
82%
SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G
Transfer Rate Minimum: 180.8 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 393.6 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 382.9 MB/s
Access Time: 0.1 ms
Burst Rate: 37.9 MB/s
CPU Usage: 7.7 %

System Performance

In practice, where the read transfers are more important, users will hardly notice the small drawbacks of the SSD. The situation is similar for the processor: Even though it is about 20 to 25% slower than a Core i5-6200U (15 watts), for example, the Pavilion x2 is subjectively hardly any slower than an actively cooled Ultrabook. Thanks to the good IPC performance of the Skylake architecture, the chip also provides more than enough performance for everyday tasks from the office, multimedia and Internet segment, even with just two cores and a clock of around 2 GHz. A bigger issue is the meager memory equipment – only 4 GB of RAM will unfortunately prevent any serious multitasking ambitions.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
3281 Points +16%
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G
2831 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
HD Graphics 515, 6Y54, Samsung MZNLN128HCGR-000L2
2733 Points -3%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
2550 Points -10%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
2426 Points -14%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S W700N
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Lite-On CV1-8B128
2217 Points -22%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
3996 Points +6%
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
HD Graphics 515, 6Y54, Samsung MZNLN128HCGR-000L2
3837 Points +2%
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G
3773 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
3550 Points -6%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S W700N
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Lite-On CV1-8B128
3311 Points -12%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Samsung MZFLV128 NVMe
3186 Points -16%
PCMark 7 Score
4275 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2831 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
3198 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
3773 points
Help

GPU Performance

integrated HEVC decoder
integrated HEVC decoder

All Core-m chips use the integrated GT2 version of the Skylake GPU, the HD Graphics 515 with 24 Execution Units. Because of the lower clocks, the performance is roughly 20% slower compared to the sibling HD Graphics 520 and on par with a two to three year old dedicated entry-level GPU (e. g. GeForce 820M). This is certainly not powerful enough for demanding graphics applications, but it is fine for the intended scenarios. The GPU leaves a particularly good impression during video playback, since even modern codecs like HEVC/H.265 can be decoded very efficiently by the hardware.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1428 Points +26%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
1206 Points +6%
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
1133 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m5-6Y54
1014 Points -11%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S W700N
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
980 Points -14%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
7307 Points +18%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
6597 Points +7%
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
6178 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m5-6Y54
5259 Points -15%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S W700N
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
4760 Points -23%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
810 Points +9%
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
740 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m5-6Y54
697 Points -6%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S W700N
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
589 Points -20%
3DMark 06 Standard Score
7530 points
3DMark 11 Performance
1260 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
41366 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
4330 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
671 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Generally, the graphics performance is on a very low performance level, but the HD 515 is still able to handle many modern games smoothly, at least with the lowest details. Games such as “Dota 2”, “League of Legends” or “Counter Strike: GO”, which are not very challenging for the hardware, are often running at smooth frame rates with medium details.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 48 23.8 21.9
Battlefield 4 (2013) 34.3 23.2 15.2
Dirt Rally (2015) 57.8 16 12.5

Emissions

System Noise

The HP Pavilion x1 12 does not have a fan or mechanical hard drive, so it is completely silent. Our review sample did not create any electronic noises either.

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test
Prime95
Prime95

We can notice a slight warming of the device close to skin temperature during a typical usage scenario with WLAN browsing and the playback of an HD video, but the chassis does not get inconveniently hot. This will only change under sustained load from a 3D game, for example, and the tablet will reach almost 50 °C (~122 °F) at the right side. You will most probably perform demanding applications with the attached keyboard dock and the latter will stay completely cold (due to the lack of integrated hardware), so we do not really think this is a problem.

The temperatures inside the chassis do not cause any concerns either. Between 70 and 80 °C (~158 and 176 °F) for the CPU cores are completely okay for a passively cooled system, especially since the chip will still run at an increased power consumption of around 7 watts even one hour after the start of our stress test. This helps the clocks, which are much higher compared to many other Core-m devices at around 900 MHz (CPU) and 450 MHz (GPU), respectively.

Max. Load
 30.8 °C
87 F
35.3 °C
96 F
44.8 °C
113 F
 
 30.8 °C
87 F
35.5 °C
96 F
49.6 °C
121 F
 
 34.6 °C
94 F
39.1 °C
102 F
44.1 °C
111 F
 
Maximum: 49.6 °C = 121 F
Average: 38.3 °C = 101 F
44.3 °C
112 F
37 °C
99 F
30.8 °C
87 F
46.5 °C
116 F
36.6 °C
98 F
31.5 °C
89 F
44.1 °C
111 F
37.7 °C
100 F
31.7 °C
89 F
Maximum: 46.5 °C = 116 F
Average: 37.8 °C = 100 F
Power Supply (max.)  40.2 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 23.1 °C = 74 F | Fluke 62 Max
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.3 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 49.6 °C / 121 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46.5 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.6 °C / 89 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(-) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 44.1 °C / 111.4 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-16 °C / -28.8 F).

Speakers

Thanks to its front-facing stereo speakers, the Pavilion should be able to produce a decent sound. And the system can actually convince with its clear and balanced sound, even though we would have preferred a bit more bass and a slightly higher maximum volume – we expected a bit more from the collaboration between HP and the well-known Hi-Fi specialists from Bang & Olufsen. Larger rooms cannot be adequately filled with sound; if necessary, you will have to attach external speakers via HDMI or stereo jack.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.533.32536.433.63138.241.64039.3405034.633.56334.934.98036.33510037.635.512536.637.316029.3312002935.125029.139.631527.947.840027.749.450026.150.563025.660.280024.364.5100024.165.312502461.1160023.456.120002364.5250022.962.5315022.859.4400022.957.150002363.8630023.564.9800022.562.31000022.6581250022.558.1160002254.9SPL36.374N2.832.1median 24median 58Delta2.48.535.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP Pavilion x2 12-b000ngApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (74 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.4% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (12.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (27.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 82% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 15% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 81% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 15% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency Comparison (Checkboxes select/deselectable!)
Graph 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Graph 2: Audio off

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Depending on the display brightness, power saver profile and activated wireless modules, the Pavilion has an idle power consumption of 5.3 to 9.0 watts – an average result when you consider the hardware equipment, which is clearly beaten by the MacBook 12 (probably because of the highly optimized OS), for example. The consumption will level off at 20 to 21 watts under maximum load, which is a reasonable result.

The provided 45-watt power adapter has no problems with these values and still offers plenty of headroom to quickly charge the device while still in operation.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.45 / 0.52 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.3 / 8.2 / 9 Watt
Load midlight 20.7 / 21.4 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G, IPS, 1920x1280, 12.00
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM
6200U, HD Graphics 520, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2, IPS, 2160x1440, 12.00
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
6Y54, HD Graphics 515, Samsung MZNLN128HCGR-000L2, IPS, 2160x1440, 12.00
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, Apple SSD AP0256, IPS, 2304x1440, 12.00
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S W700N
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, Lite-On CV1-8B128, sAMOLED, 2160x1440, 12.10
Power Consumption
-26%
-9%
27%
21%
Idle Minimum *
5.3
7.3
-38%
4
25%
2.7
49%
3.4
36%
Idle Average *
8.2
10
-22%
8.6
-5%
2.7
67%
8
2%
Idle Maximum *
9
10.15
-13%
9.3
-3%
7.2
20%
9
-0%
Load Average *
20.7
25.2
-22%
18.6
10%
22
-6%
12
42%
Load Maximum *
21.4
29.3
-37%
36.3
-70%
20.5
4%
16.1
25%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

With a nominal capacity of just 33 Wh, the integrated battery capacity is unfortunately not very generous, and HP has not equipped the keyboard dock with an additional battery either. Really long runtimes are therefore not possible on the convertible: In practice, you can expect around 5 hours WLAN browsing or video playback at an adjusted luminance (150 nits) before you have to recharge the battery. We were not able to reproduce the advertised runtime of 9 hours while idling, at least not with the attached keyboard. This means that the Pavilion is beaten by all the rivals in this comparison.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
7h 54min
WiFi Websurfing
4h 45min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
5h 11min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 49min
HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, 33 Wh
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, 38 Wh
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM
6200U, HD Graphics 520, 37 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 700
6Y54, HD Graphics 515, 41 Wh
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, 41.4 Wh
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S W700N
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, 39.5 Wh
Battery Runtime
55%
25%
56%
84%
95%
Reader / Idle
474
791
67%
640
35%
861
82%
1110
134%
H.264
311
468
50%
450
45%
512
65%
515
66%
WiFi v1.3
285
488
71%
321
13%
440
54%
501
76%
525
84%
Load
109
138
27%
112
3%
157
44%
231
112%

Pros

+ fast WLAN (802.11ac)
+ firm keyboard
+ active digitizer
+ bright IPS display
+ decent application performance
+ fanless
+ fair price

Cons

- limited port selection
- spongy touchpad buttons
- limited memory equipment
- mediocre battery runtime
- no WWAN module

Verdict

In review: HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.
In review: HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.

HP's Pavilion x2 12-b000ng is a comparatively inexpensive 2-in-1 notebook, which can still compete with the more expensive rivals in many aspects. Highlights of the convertible are the display hinge, a firm keyboard as well as the perfect Turbo Boost utilization of the Core-m processor. The display is not bad either, even though some rivals have higher resolutions. It is also one of the few devices in this segment without potential flickering caused by the PWM control.

We did find some issues in this review as well, which are affecting the overall impression slightly. While you can still live with the limited memory equipment as well as the lack of an LTE module considering the price, the meager port selection – there is not even a USB 3.0 Type-A port – is a pretty annoying design flaw. A much larger battery capacity, preferably realized with a secondary battery inside the keyboard dock, would have been good for the system as well.

All in all, the Pavilion x2 12 is still a fair offer for about 700 Euros (~$790) – but the performance is not good enough to beat the more expensive Microsoft Surface Pro 4.

HP Pavilion x2 12-b000ng - 08/20/2016 v5.1(old)
Till Schönborn

Chassis
82 / 98 → 83%
Keyboard
86%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
39 / 80 → 49%
Weight
69 / 35-78 → 79%
Battery
80%
Display
81%
Games Performance
54 / 68 → 79%
Application Performance
72 / 87 → 83%
Temperature
85%
Noise
100%
Audio
63 / 91 → 69%
Camera
61 / 85 → 71%
Average
73%
81%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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Till Schönborn, 2016-08-26 (Update: 2018-05-15)