HP Compaq Elitebook 2530p - Expert Reviews

Review summary: It's rare when a laptop can pull off great battery life with either its standard battery or an extended one. The HP EliteBook 2530p ($2,099 direct)a business ultraportablehas the battery capacity to last from a breakfast meeting to a late-afternoon ...

Pros: Standard plus extended battery yield over 20 hours of battery life. Built-in optical drive. Very good keyboard. Dual pointing devices. Multiple wireless technologies

Cons: VGA is the only video-out port. Weak speakers. You'll need to carry that extra battery to get the great battery life

Verdict: If battery life ranks high on your list of business needs, the HP EliteBook 2530p won't disappoint.

Review summary: There's so much to like about the HP EliteBook 2530P that it's hard to know where to start genuflecting.

Verdict: If you have the money, the HP EliteBook 2530p has all the panache you could want in a light, fast, and easy-to-use portable.

Review summary: Bundled software information updated 1/15, 12:00 p.m. PDT

Pros: Dual pointing devices Great, big battery with an external gage

Cons: Stubborn volume controls

Verdict: But, really, the lack of an easy way to control volume is not much of a drawback on an ultraportable. In all other ways the EliteBook lives up to its name. If you have the money, it has all the panache you could want in a light, fast, and easy-to-use ...

Review summary: Pricey but worth it, the HP EliteBook 2530P lives up to its name, offering extras not ordinarily found on an ultraportable laptop.

Pros: Great, big battery with an external gauge ; Dual pointing devices

Cons: Stubborn volume controls

Verdict: But, really, the lack of an easy way to control volume is not much of a drawback on an ultraportable. In all other ways the EliteBook lives up to its name. If you have the money, it has all the panache you could want in a light, fast, and easy-to-use ...

Review summary: Built for road warriors, this 12-inch ultraportable offers a durable design and well over 6 hours of battery life.

Pros: Elegant business-rugged design, Strong overall performance, Comfortable keyboard, Helpful security software, Long battery life

Cons: Small touchpad buttons, Only two USB ports, Sluggish mobile broadband

Verdict: The 2-megapixel webcam captured sharp, well-lit still photos. Our VGA video showed delays, even when we captured video, which doesn't involve a (potentially slow) Internet connection. When we made a Skype call, our friend noticed some latency around ...