HP Pro Slate 12 review

Has HP crafted the ideal tablet for notes and illustration?

HP Pro Slate 12 review

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The HP Pro Slate 12 isn't a perfect device. It doesn't have much storage or RAM, it doesn't have the sharpest screen and its processor isn't going to outperform similarly-priced devices. However, it's a beautiful tablet with a fabulous battery life that is excellent for note-taking.

We liked

The Pro Slate is a great tablet if you're looking for a bit of style and substance. Its silver and black bezel is among the nicest on the tablet market, and it's light and thin enough to fall just short of best-in-class in terms of build quality.

If you take notes all day and you need a way to keep track of your data, the Pro Slate is perfect for you. Its Duet Pen produces perfect digital replicas of your ink-written content. Although the app is a bit unintuitive, once you start writing, you'll forget about how hard it was to get started.

We disliked

I wish the Pro Slate had more going for it under the hood. With only 32GB of storage and 2GB of RAM, the Slate won't be your primary device. You'll need to purchase additional storage to fit all of those apps, photos and other data throughout the life of the device. And even if you keep the tablet free of clutter, its processor isn't fast or powerful enough to compete with similarly-priced devices.

Additionally, the low resolution display isn't ideal for viewing content, especially if your job requires you to pay specific attention to detail.

Final verdict

The HP Pro Slate 12 is a wonderful device for a niche audience. Employees who are focused on data entry, and note-taking and illustrators who need digital copies of their doodles will love the Slate and its accompanying Duet Pen.

However, if your job is a bit more labor intensive, and you need more power to help get you through the day, the HP Pro Slate 12 is not the right device for you.