With the popularity of the touch screen, tablet devices are gaining in popularity. Many users see the benefit of a touch screen interface, but don’t want to give up the keyboard and mouse as an option as well. For these users, the HP EliteBook 2740p could be an excellent choice. It combines a touch-screen tablet design with a traditional laptop keyboard and trackpad for the best of both worlds.

The 12.1 inch screen can be opened and collapsed in the traditional laptop orientation when using the keyboard and trackpad, or it can flip over when using the touch-screen or a stylus pen for more compact use. In many ways, this allows it to be both a traditional laptop and a compact tablet computer, depending on the user’s need at the moment.

The HP EliteBook 2740p doesn’t skimp on power or features, either. It has a Core i5 processor for fast performance. It includes 4GB of RAM which is upgradeable to 8GB for power users. It’s Intel integrated graphics are great for multimedia applications, though not recommended for gaming or high-end applications.

The machine includes a webcam and microphone which work in both orientations and a stylus pen slides into the back of the machine when not in use. It also includes VGA, ethernet, USB, Firewire ports for flexible connectivity and ExpressCard/34 card slot. There are memory card slots for connecting most popular formats of digital camera memory cards.

The only downsides of the HP EliteBook 2740p are battery life and price. Battery life is below average compared to similar units, though there is an option for a larger battery. Though the price of the model is in line with other tablet PCs, it is still quite a premium over most traditional laptops. Buyers will have to decide if the touch-screen and tablet features are worth the extra cost.

Overall, the HP EliteBook 2740p provides an excellent computing experience that provides some of the best features of a tablet but still keeps the Windows operating system, keyboard, and mouse that users are familiar with. If its price and limited battery life are not deterrents, buyers should be very happy with it.