HP's "Consumer" Elite x3 Counterpart Might Not Be As Beefy

If you've had your hopes up that HP's next Windows 10 Mobile will be as good as the Elite x3 though not as pricey, it's perhaps time to temper those expectations. Don't worry, it might not be as bad as the Moly X1. According to sources, HP's consumer-level smartphone will instead be a mid-range device, sporting a processor from Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 series. While not as powerful as an 820, it will still be enough to comply with Continuum's requirements.

The HP Elite x3 is arguably the most interesting Windows 10 Mobile smartphone of the year. Not just for its specs but because of the entire package that HP is offering. That includes not only accessories like the mobile "LapDock" but also HP Workspace, practically a remote desktop service allowing Elite x3 owners to run regular Windows desktop apps virtually.

As wonderful as that may sound, the Elite x3's complete package isn't exactly something regular users can grab. Never mind the price tag, HP Workspace is only available for enterprise customers. So when word broke out that Microsoft and HP might be working on a consumer Windows 10 Mobile smartphone, there was naturally some thoughts on how it would measure up against the Elite x3.

If the sources are correct, it won't. Well, not as much. A mid-range smartphone running on a Snapdragon 600 series, probably a 627, would have at most 3 GB of RAM. Fortunately, that's still above Microsoft's hard requirements for Continuum for Phones, which requires, at the very least, a Snapdragon 617, 2 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of internal storage. Those requirements don't exactly mention screen size or resolution, though 1080p at this point is pretty much standard fare.

What makes this upcoming HP smartphone interesting is the probability that it could include a still experimental feature to run "legacy" win32 apps on ARM devices such as smartphones. Then again, this HP phone might not have enough muscle to drive that technology anyway.

VIA: Dr. Windows