![]() To be clear, HP isn’t the first to introduce such a feature Dell has implemented something similar using a 40-degree time-of-flight (TOF) sensor. But at least if you are still in the vicinity, you’d be aware of would-be interlopers. It still requires at least a few seconds after you walk away to lock your machine, so if someone stood in front of your desk once you leave they could thwart the auto-lock. ![]() When we do return to offices, though, this feature could be useful for those of us who don’t always remember to lock our laptops when we leave our desks. HP claims that this can also help save battery by putting the machine to sleep when you’re away, though I don’t find it that different from existing screen timeout tools. Since I’m working from home and no one else is here, Presence Aware doesn’t offer many benefits for me other than a fraction of a second saved by not having to hit a button to wake the laptop up. It mostly behaved as I expected: The system woke up once I returned, and signed me in via Windows Hello using the webcam. On my first review unit I couldn’t use Presence Aware at all the settings page just said “Service Unavailable.” The second unit worked fine, and I set the system to dim and lock within five seconds of me leaving. Because it uses a proximity sensor instead of a camera, Presence Aware will also work if you’ve shuttered the webcam, and it’s not looking for identifying features like your eyes or face. This uses a proximity sensor to tell if you’re in front of your laptop to dim your screen and lock your machine when you walk away, and wake it up when you’re back. Presence Aware and AI Noise ReductionĪnother feature unique to the new EliteBook 10 series is HP’s Presence Aware. It’s a simple but surprisingly useful feature that I wish more companies would adopt. Then you could set Shift-ProgramKey to pull up three different browsers set to the PlayStation 5 order page for various retailers when a drop is about to happen. This way, you can start your work day with all your frequently used tools with just a push. For example, you could set the key to launch your messaging apps, browser with tabs open for email and calendar, as well as your photo and audio editing software. Using a combination of Ctrl, Alt and Shift with the programmable button, you can create up to four different shortcuts. ![]() HP also threw in a nifty programmable key in the shortcut row at the top, which you can set to launch your favorite apps, files or websites. The layout is well spaced, and since this is a 14-inch machine there’s also room on the right for an additional column of keys including Home, Page Down, Page Up and End. The buttons are satisfyingly deep and offer clicky feedback that reminds me of mechanical keys. I’ve loved HP’s EliteBook keyboards for some time now, and the 1040 doesn’t disappoint. By skipping out on the filter, the EliteBook 1040 instantly improved its viewing angles. ![]() It’s still clearer than HP’s other laptops with built-in privacy filters, though. I do wish the display were brighter, though - it was sometimes hard to see in sunlight. I also played videos of Costa Rica in 4K and they looked rich and detailed, while Christmas jazz music was bright and well-rounded. I enjoyed watching Engadget’s docuseries Superhumans and the speakers flanking the keyboard were loud and clear. The EliteBook’s 1,920 x 1,080 screen is crisp and colorful. That said, having one on either side would have been a bit more convenient. There’s also a pair of Thunderbolt-friendly USB-C ports, which you can use to charge the device on the right edge. Possibly because it’s meant for business users, the EliteBook 1040 comes with a conservative (which is to say generous) port selection, including two USB-A connections, an HDMI socket, a microSD card reader and a headphone jack. By subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy.
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