Laptop always has two types of consumers. One who wants it for game and multi-usage, and the others who look at it for business and work purposes. With the changing times and the pandemic, laptops are becoming the most important device for your kitty. One great device which I got during the lockdown was HP Elite Dragonfly — a portable and lightweight 2-in-1 convertible with a 360-degree design. The laptop weighs under 1 kg and can easily be lifted with one hand. I specify the weight here because for a 2-in-1 device, that is something especially important.
Looks and design
The design of the device is impeccable. It comes in a gorgeous iridescent Dragonfly blue colour option that simply stands out. The device comes with thin bezels, resulting in 86% screen to body ratio. On the right side of the laptop, you get an HDMI, 3.5mm audio and two Thunderbolt 3 ports– either of which can be used for charging. Over on the left, you’ll find a solitary USB 3.1 Type-A port, the power button and a Nano SIM slot. The Dragonfly’s display is securely attached to a CNC magnesium chassis that also holds the keyboard panel with speaker grilles on two sides and a touchpad.
Performance
The variant which I reviewed runs on Windows 10 Pro, is backed by 16 GB RAM and is powered by a 1.9 GHz Intel Core-i7 8665U processor. Put the Elite Dragonfly to as many tests, it came out as a winner. Multi tabs and watching content on Netflix, nothing slowed or lagged the device. Heavy editing on the device slowed it while launching a software but working on it was a breeze. The Dragonfly’s 1,000 nits bright 13.3-inch display also has an inbuilt privacy filter which blocks the view for those prying into the screen. HP has adde d a shutter to the camera to eliminate the chance of a hacker snooping in through the webcam which I consider a great add on. This seems like a small addition but a particularly useful one. For jobs like mine where I use the laptop for hours of recording, typing, editing purposes the battery has been above satisfactory. The laptop takes about 90- 100 minutes to completely charge and works well until it hits 40%. Post that I witnessed the device seem to drain faster than before. Elite Dragonfly comes with Bang & Olufsen speakers which are a delight. The speakers are a point winner in comparison to its competitors. The speakers work very well in a large room as well.
Verdict
Elite Dragonfly is a device which is meant for a businessperson who is always on the go. It is light and a goodlooking device. You can multitask and cannot feel it lagging. It is priced at Rs 1.9 lakh and that is where the real catch is. It is a very desirable device but it might not fit everyone’s pocket. It is an all-purpose ‘premium’ laptop.
Jabra Elite Active 75t: A perfect fit for fitness freaks
Wireless headphones are now just like smartphones with many options. All major manufacturers now have their own wireless headphones choice. Sadly, they all look the same. The real difference is in the sound quality and the software used. Here I would like to give companies like Jabra a point over the others as they know the headphones business better. They don’t create headphones to compete or to have another product in their array. They are in the real business of sound. Jabra Elite Active 75t is a long overdue review. I have used the product over a few months now to know how well it fares. First and foremost, if you are someone like me who has used the Elite 75t, you would wonder why Jabra must introduce an ‘Active’ variant. Elite 75t is such a brilliant wireless headphone in itself. The real difference between the two is the IP rating and cost. Well, if you are a sports person then the Active version makes real sense for you. I loved it during the lockdown as I used it the most while working out. So, if you want to spend extra for that purpose, then go for it.
Design
The design of the Jabra Elite Active 75t is basically identical to the non-Active Elite 75t. The earbuds and charging case are the same but the Active version features a rubberized coating that prevents drops. The charging case is also coated in a rubberized texture and features the same USB-C charging port of the regular Elite 75t. They fit firm and well in your ear, remember to twist them around as you put them in your ear hole. Controls can be handled with the physical buttons on each earbud. Jabra headphones connect via an application which is easily customizable for user’s experience.
Performance
You do not get noise cancellation on your Elite Active 75t but the eartips help block a lot of unnecessary noise. Another great feature you get is HearThrough. You can enable it and customise the amount of sound you want to hear. You also get MySound that gives you audio that is tailored for your hearing. Elite Active 75t gives great bass quality and you can enjoy music of all genres well on the device. The ability to customise all your hearing helps design the perfect set of wireless headphones for your needs.
Battery & Price
The battery runs well for a stretch of 8 hours on a single charge and over a day with the charging case. Jabra Elite Active 75t costs around Rs 16,000. Its younger sibling, which is not much different from the active, costs less. So, the direct competition is within the brand.
Verdict
Jabra Elite Active 75t is an excellent set of durable earphones. They are well designed and might not shout out being workout earphones, but they are one. They are great for people who are always on a move. With a great battery life and ability to customise the sound these can be a great pick for any who is able to spend the extra bit for it.
