Does the HP Elite Folio have 5G?

HP launched its Elite Folio convertible in January this year. The highlight of this hybrid HP computer is its use of an ARM-based processor — Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2. The company says the presence of Qualcomm Snapdragon compute platform makes it an “always connected PC (ACPC)”. Wait, does the ACPC tag mean it supports cellular connectivity and more specifically 5G? Yes, HP Elite Folio can connect to the 5G networks and that’s not all. It’s also backward compatible to 4G LTE and 3G networks as well.

However, HP explains that the 5G support on the Elite Folio is an optional feature and must be configured at the time of purchase. You’ll be able to choose between Qualcomm Snapdragon X20 LTE and Snapdragon X55 5G LTE modems that’ll enable the cellular connectivity on your HP convertible. These modems are however not exactly cheap. According to the HP website, the Snapdragon X20 LTE modem that’ll only enable 4G connectivity is a $201 upgrade, whereas the Snapdragon X55 5G modem that will add 5G support will cost $444 over the regular cost of this device. You’ll obviously have to pay for the 4G/ 5G plan to your service provider. Currently, only AT&T and T-Mobile networks are supported in the US.

Apart from the Qualcomm chip, there’s another aspect of this machine that’s really interesting. It features a design reminiscent of the 2019 Spectre Folio, meaning you can use it in one of three modes – laptop mode, tablet mode, and in a so-called media mode. Basically in the media mode, you can pull the screen forward to place it between the keys and trackpad to do the touch-first work as well as consume media.

HP Elite Folio specifications

HP Elite Folio sports a folio-inspired vegan leather exterior and magnesium chassis. It comes with a 13.5-inch WUXXGA+ (1920 x 1280 pixels) IPS touchscreen display with 400 nits brightness and Corning Gorilla Glass 5. There’s an optional upgrade that will increase the brightness up to 1000 nits and add a privacy filter. You’ll able to configure up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of NVMe TLC SSD.

On the operating system front, HP is offering special versions of Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro with the laptop. Additionally, it comes with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5, and two USB Type-C ports. Thanks to the ARM chip, HP claims the convertible can offer up to 24.5 hours of local video playback. However, in our Elite Folio review, we were able get about 10 hours of real work done in one charge.

Bottom line, if you’re planning to buy the Elite Folio and are wondering about the presence of cellular connectivity in it, we can confirm it indeed offers optional 4G and 5G connectivity, with backward compatibility to 3G networks. Meanwhile, if you want to know about other great laptops on the market, we’ve got great guides on the best laptops and the best 5G laptops you can buy right now.