HP introduced a new design line with the EliteBook 800 range. It relies on curved shapes and restrained colors, primarily black and silver. This dress looks just as good on the 820 G1 as on the recently tested 850 G1. The matte surfaces also prove to be resistant and insensitive to smudging. HP even promises that the laptop has successfully been tested according to the MIL-STD-810 US military standard.

The EliteBook is almost completely made of magnesium, which is supposed to make an approximately 30 percent lower weight possible compared with the precursor. Nevertheless, our review sample weighs over 1.5 kilograms (~3.3 pounds), which is also due to the lush configuration. In any case, the chassis provides outstanding performance in terms of rigidity and stability, and even defies the strongest pressure completely unimpressed. The screen, rimmed by a protective rubber lip, can also be warped by only a few millimeters using high force. Both massive metal hinges limit any wobbling of the lid to a minimum, and are yet so smooth running that only one hand is needed for opening.

Like the bigger sister model, the 820 G1's meticulous build is impressive. We did not discover any sharp edges or irregular material transitions; the manufacturer should only rectify the slight play between the display bezel and screen.

Communication

The manufacturer installs different Wi-Fi modules depending on the configuration; in our case, it is Intel's Dual-Band Wireless-N 7260. Although this mid-range model does not feature the latest ac standard, it supports 802.11 a/b/g/n, and consequently also transmits in the less frequented 5 GHz band. Transmission rates of up to 300 Mbps can be reached owing to dual-stream technology (2x2), providing an appropriate router is on the other side. The EliteBook proved to have an above average range, and excellent connection stability even in difficult reception conditions in our practical test (o2 Box 4421, max. 150 Mbps).

In addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, our review sample also sports a mobile broadband modem (HP hs 3110), which enables the user to browse via UMTS/HSPA+ on the go. Inserting a corresponding SIM card was a bit inconvenient because it has to be inserted in a slot under the battery.

The same 0.9 megapixel webcam including the array microphone as found in the EliteBook 850 G1 is available for video conferencing. The picture and sound quality are acceptable for communication purposes, but the primary camera of every low-priced smartphone provides much better results.

Security

Protecting the laptop against (p ysical) theft is not the only security issue for laptops, but in particular protecting the stored data. HP therefore relies on extensive hardware and software technologies.