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HP SlateBook x2 ships in August with keyboard dock, Tegra 4 in tow

The SlateBook x2 features a Tegra 4 processor, a keyboard dock, and ships with Android 4.2.2. The 10.1-inch tablet will debut in August for $480.

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The SlateBook x2 attached to its included keyboard dock. The entire package ships in August for $480. Dan Ackerman/CNET

If nothing else, HP's second try at an Android tablet is a bit more promising than its first. The SlateBook x2 has a 10.1-inch, 1,920x1,200 resolution screen and ships with Android 4.2.2. It will be one of the first tablets to house Nvidia's Tegra 4 processor when it debuts in August for $480.

Design-wise, the SlateBook x2 looks not unlike HP's Windows 8 tablet, the Envy x2, with power and volume buttons located on the back, near the left and right edges. However, instead of brushed aluminum, the SlateBook features a plastic chassis.

HP

Like plenty of Windows 8 tablets, the SlateBook x2 includes a full-size keyboard dock and touch pad. The keyboard features a full HDMI port, USB 2.0, an SD slot, and an audio port. The dock will also house an extra battery in addition to the one already included in the slate.

On the slate side, look for a front-facing HD camera and a rear-facing 2-megapixel camera. Storage capacity tips the scales at 64GB with a microSD slot included for expansion. The slate’s speakers will support DTS+ sound.

HP

First thoughts
When attempting to articulate first impression, I always come back to price and even with the specs listed above, $480 still feels expensive. The SlateBook x2 appears to offer a lot for that price, but it’s always those little intangibles that spell the difference between good and great tablets. Hopefully, I’ll have a chance fairly soon to determine just where the SlateBook x2 lands in that regard.