HP EliteBook 2760p is a sturdy, powerful, portable and convertible work station

As the tablet market continues to grow, many people now own a tablet and a laptop. For the business traveler, having two devices to lug around — however light they may be — can be an added burden.

For this crowd, HP has released its latest convertible laptop, the HP EliteBook 2760p, which transforms from a laptop into a tablet-style computer that can be controlled via touchscreen. While it’s not a traditional tablet like the iPad or its Android-based alternatives, and you won’t get all the features those machines offer, this machine is a well-built, unique model that could serve some business users very well.

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The EliteBook line from HP has a reputation to uphold in terms of durability, and that is definitely done here with the EliteBook 2760p, which is an update to last year’s 2740p model.

It’s built to withstand some tough treatment, as HP puts this line up to some vigorous military standard testing.

This includes tests to protect against drops, vibration, dust, humidity, altitude and high temperature – all things that are pretty common for people on the road a lot.

Unless you’re really out to destroy this thing, it should hold up to any accidental bumps and bruises. It’s the opposite of the often cheap and flimsy plastic materials used on so many laptops today. This is essential for someone who’s going to be on the go, as you never know what might happen to your laptop.

The 12.1 inch screen on the machine may be a little small for some people, but it’s about the right size considering this is meant to be portable – not too big, not too small. Also, it transforms into a tablet format, so it would just look weird if it were any bigger, because tablets aren’t meant to be huge – and this is probably pushing it on the high end already.

The weight on this machine starts at just under 4 pounds, not too bad considering the convertible setup.