Here is the near-finalized HP Elite x3 'superphone' at Computex 2016

Microsoft and HP have started their ramp up to the HP Elite x3 megaphone running Windows 10 Mobile. The powerhouse of a device was featured in numerous promo videos from Microsoft, HP, and even Qualcomm (boasting about their Snapdragon 820 processor).
While on the ground at Computex in Taipei we managed to get our grubby hands on the near-finalized hardware for the future phone which you can see in our new video. The biggest change was the addition of the rear fingerprint reader, which while knew it was coming, was not yet built into the device back when the x3 was first announced a few months ago.
There is still no word on availability and pricing, but most guestimates put the phone releasing after the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, which itself is expected at the end of July. The Elite x3 uses many new features found in that update including fingerprint reader support, Enterprise data protection for MDM (InTune), Ethernet support, and general improvements to Continuum, so it would make sense for its release to be timed with the Anniversary Update.
HP Elite x3 specifications
Category | Features |
---|---|
Product Color | HP Graphite |
Operating System | Windows 10 Mobile |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 (2.15 GHz, 4cores) |
Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8996 |
Memory | 4GB LPDDR4 SDRAM (onboard) Dual channel x32 PoP 32Gbit |
Internal Storage | 64GB eMMC 5.1 |
Display | 5.96" diagonal WQHD (2560x1440) AMOLED multi-touch display Corning Gorilla Glass 4 Anti-reflective coating |
Available Graphics | Qualcomm Adreno 530 GPU |
Audio | 2 Stereo speakers (one with earpiece) 3 integrated omni-directional microphones with HP Noise Cancellation Software 1 external microphone (from headset jack) Snapdragon Audio+ support Audio by B&O PLAY |
Wireless Technologies | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2x2) WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 LE combo (Miracast supported) NFC WWAN:2G/3G/4G,LTE-A with carrier aggregation 4,5,6,13 |
Expansion Slots | 1 microSD (Expandable up to 2TB) |
Ports and Connectors | One 3.5mm 3 and 4 pole headphone jack 1 USB 3.0 Type-C connector Dual nanoSIM or nanoSIM + microSD card via 3-in-2 card tray Pogo pins |
Camera | 16MP f/2.0 FHD rear-facing camera 8MP FHD front facing camera and Iris camera |
Available Software | HP Workspace HP Device Hub HP Registration and device onboarding Adobe PDF Reader |
Security Management | Elite x3 device has dual biometrics with Iris recognition and Fingerprint reader FIPS 140-2 cryptography Qualcomm processor includes Secure Boot 128-bitkey Unified Image Encryption 256-bitkey Full Disk Encryption Anti roll back fTPM2.0security; Windows 10 includes 128 key Bitlocker encryption Enterprise grade VPN |
Dimensions | 3.29 x 0.31 x 6.36 in 83.5 x7.8 x 161.8 mm |
Weight | Starting at 0.43lb Starting at 195g |
Power | 10W 5V/2 Aadapter Non-removable 3.85V battery pack 4150 mAh Li-ion polymer |
Wireless Charging | Qi and PMA |
Sensors | Ambient light sensor + proximity combo Accelerometer+gyro eCompass Pressure Hall effect NFC GPS |
Energy Efficiency Compliance | ENERGY STAR certified EPEAT Gold registered where applicable EPEAT registration varies by country |
Durability features | Designed to pass IP67 Providing seals against liquid and dust ingress to IP67 rating Designed to pass MIL-STD810G testing |
HP is expected to sell the Elite x3 in direct business deals with its vast array of enterprise customers. While not marketed as a consumer device per se we are expecting the phone to be sold directly from Microsoft and HP for people who want one. The phone will likely be bundled with the desktop dock with the Mobile Extender ("ME Dock") coming in as a separate purchase.
You can read all our coverage of this exciting Windows 10 Mobile device on our main HP Elite x3 landing page or check out these in-depth articles about it below:
- HP Elite x3 Windows Phone FAQ - Your questions answered
- Elite x3 Discussion Forum
- Elite x3 Photo Gallery
- Elite x3 Hands-on video
- HP Desk Dock and Mobile Extender details
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Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.