The ultimate remote worker combo - get a Jabra Evolve headset with HP's Elitebook 1030 x360

HP and Jabra at Ingram Micro NZ have sent us the ultimate mobile collaboration combo to review.

Both are optimised for Skype for Business, a great partnership for the ultimate productivity in and out of the office.

Check out the offer here.

HP Elitebook 1030 x360 G2 – All the notebook you need in tablet size

The HP Elitebook x360 1030 G2 is a powerful machine packed in a sleek aluminium body for maximum productivity and efficiency.

From the exterior to the keyboard, everything about it has an understated elegance to it.

The build of the notebook is sturdy, designed to pass twelve MIL-STD 810G tests – important for digital nomads who may have to use it in less-than-gentle environments.

However, what really sets it apart as a business laptop is the in-built security features bundled with it.

Design and feel

The first impression created by the x360 1030 is one of sleek, clean lines created by the minimalist HP logo and the shape of the laptop.

The diamond-cut accents around the trackpad and fingerprint scanner give it a unique finish with a premium feel.

The simplicity of the design works well for it as the experience of using it is seamless whether you're using it in notebook or tablet mode.

While the x360 1030 is marginally heavier than the average hybrid device at 1.29 kg, I found that the trade-off of having 16 hours of battery life was well worth it.

I can see the feature being very useful at full-day conferences where there's a shortage of power plugs.

The notebook also comes with a Fast Charge feature that gets the battery from 0% to 50% battery in half an hour.

Performance

The x360 1030 is equipped with higher specs than the average hybrid tablet device, with the latest i5 or i7 7th Generation Intel processor, up to 1TB M.2 SSD and 16GB RAM options available.

There is a wide selection of variations to suit modern day office requirements.

The notebook also has 4G cellular options available for the digital nomad who may have to travel and work far beyond available Wi-Fi coverage.

Overall, the specs the notebook comes with should handle the needs of the average business user quite well.

If the now standard FHD 1920x1080 resolution is not enough, there is even a UHD 3840x2160 option.

When using the Thunderbolt docking station, dual external UHD displays are also possible amongst other standard outputs.

When stress testing, it performed well with minimal fan noise and excess heat.

Cooling has been thought through and hot air easily escapes regardless of which mode the device is in - great for when using on your lap, soft surface or as a tablet.

Security

As mentioned earlier, the real standout features on the x360 1030 are the security features – HP SureView and HP WorkWise in particular.

HP dubs the SureView an integrated digital privacy filter, and it's an interesting one for professionals working in hotdesking or shared environments.

With a press of the F2 button, the notebook's screen gains a matte sheen, and the viable viewing angles of the screen are reduced dramatically.

The screen's contents are still visible to the person sitting directly in front of it, but at a 45-degree angle or further, onlookers will only see a white screen.

The x360 1030 is one of HP's few flagship device that carries this feature and can put the minds of mobile professionals at ease.

The second feature, HP Workwise, is a free app available for download in the Android and Apple stores.

The app functions as one of the ways to auto-lock or unlock the tablet via proximity, as a thermometer on the state of the temperature, battery, and storage or your device, and has an alarm that tells you if your notebook has been moved, switched on, or tampered with in any way while you stepped away from it.

We've all fallen victim to forgetting to lock our devices when walking away from time to time.

HP Workwise gives you that extra layer of protection and alerting.

The notebook has a multitude of other security features, such as the HP SureStart self-healing BIOS, the fingerprint scanner and Windows Hello face login.

In conclusion, the HP Elitebook x360 1030  is visually appealing, thin, light but durable.

With security at the heart of the design, it is a perfect blend between traditional notebook and modern day tablet PC.

Jabra Evolve 75 – Understated, but efficient

The Jabra Evolve 75 is the perfect accessory to complement the x360 1030 to complete a mobile professional's setup.

Jabra positions it as the ultimate open office worker headset, with several features designed to ensure that you can enjoy maximum productivity and audio quality at the same time.

It's the first Skype for Business-certified headset, meeting the requirements for use in open offices or outdoors.

That makes it great to use with the notebook's dedicated Skype Hot Keys.

The headset's audio quality is fantastic, with balanced mids, highs, and lows making it a pleasure to use for listening to music, with equally crystal clear HD audio quality coming through when taking calls on the headset.

The headset has two pairing methods – users can pair to a PC with the USB dongle that comes with the headset – this is the quickest and easiest way to pair it with the x360 1030.

It can also be paired with mobile devices via Bluetooth, allowing you to seamlessly transition between taking a Skype call via PC to answering a phone call on your mobile.

When paired with the active noise-cancellation feature, the headset cuts out background sound, making it easy to be heard even in busy office environments.

Personally, I found my favourite feature to be the highly underrated listen-in function.

The annoying thing about having noise-cancelling earphones or headphones on while working is constantly having to remove them when you need to talk to colleagues around you.

The listen-in function solves this problem quite elegantly by allowing you to hear external audio by pressing a button on the left ear cup.

The headset comes with a 14-hour battery life, which lasted fine for me through the most hectic work days.

For the neat freaks, the charging headset comes included in the promotion bundle, which provides a tidy and convenient way to store and charge the headset when it's not in use.

The padded ear cups are soft and comfortable enough to wear all day, while the buttons are tactile enough and well-placed, giving access to important functions like answering calls and volume controls.

Overall, the Jabra headset isn't flashy, but the features show that it's well thought-out with the needs of the modern open office worker front and centre.

Get the Jabra Evolve 75 free when purchasing an HP Elitebook x360 1030

The two products are currently being featured in a promotion Ingram Micro is running for resellers.

Purchase an HP Elitebook x360 1030 in September and October via the bundle deal below, and receive a Jabra Evolve headset and charging stand – the ultimate open office worker combo.

For a headset and charging stand bundle that retail at $410, that's quite a steal.

To take advantage of this great offer, click here.