Rich colors for outdoor work

*Select models only.**Only available on 33.8 cm (13.3 in) diagonal model.1. The pen may be sold separately.
2. Weight and system dimensions may vary depending on configuration and due to manufacturing variations.
3. Multi-Core technology is designed to improve the performance of certain software products. Not all users and programs can take advantage of this technology. Performance and clock frequency depend on workload and hardware and software configuration. Intel product numbering is not a performance level indicator.
4. Based on HP internal testing using CrystalDiskMark benchmark software. Sequential (read-only) performance is superior to traditional 5400 RPM hard drives.
5. Graphic NVIDIA card® available only on select 15-inch Specter x360 models.
6. Battery life depends on many factors such as device model, configuration, loaded applications, features, usage, support wireless operation and power management options. The maximum battery life decreases as you use it. For more information, visit https://bapco.com/products/mobilemark-2014/.
7. HP tested with continuous HD video playback at 720p (1280 x 720), 150 nits, 50% volume, 100% player volume, local storage, headphones connected, muted wireless communication, with the automatic dimming function disabled. Actual battery life varies depending on configuration. The maximum battery life decreases as you use it.
8. Transfer speed may vary. All performance specifications are the standard specifications specified by HP component manufacturers; actual figures may differ from those shown.
9. USB Type-C™ and USB-C™ are trademarks USB Implementers Forum.
10. To view 4K images, you need 4K content.
11. 4K resolution is available as an option on select models only.
12. Available on 13" models only.
13. Quad speakers are only available on 15.6-inch models.
14. Privacy screen may be required to use software or third party applications.
15. Third party software or applications may be required to provide the functionality described.
16. Charge the battery to 90% in 90 minutes with the system turned off (using the “Shutdown” command). We recommend using the HP adapter that came with your laptop and not using a smaller charger. Once the battery is charged to 90%, the standard charging speed will be restored. Charging times may vary +/-10% due to existing system tolerances. Available on select HP Specter, HP Envy and HP Omen and HP Pavilion PC models. For a complete list of product features and specifications, visit http://store.hp.com.
17. Charge the battery to 50% in 30 minutes with the system turned off (using the “Shutdown” command). We recommend using the HP adapter that came with your laptop and not using a smaller charger. Once the battery is charged to 50%, the standard charging speed will be restored. Charging times may vary +/-10% due to existing system tolerances. Available on select HP Specter 2-in-1 and HP x2 PC models. For a complete list of product features and specifications, visit http://store.hp.com.

The following applies to HP systems with Intel processors Skylake or next-generation SoCs downgraded from Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 Pro Windows version 7 Professional, Windows 8 Professional, or Windows 8.1: These versions of the Windows operating system installed on the processors and chipsets in this system have limited support from Microsoft. For getting additional information For support, see the Microsoft Product Support Lifecycle FAQ at https://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle. Microsoft and Windows are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Intel and Core are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries.
Ultrabook, Celeron, Celeron Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, the Intel Inside logo, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, Xeon Phi, Xeon Inside and Intel Optane are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries.

Be careful, Apple MacBook Pro has a new competitor.

The HP Specter x360 15 (2017) may be a simple update to last year's namesake, but don't confuse iteration with new. This is a completely revised Specter x360 15 compared to previous years' models.

  • pros: Flawless Keyboard | Efficient Design | Stylus;
  • Minuses: Battery life | The trackpad interferes with typing;

Starting with a sleek and modern design replete with gold accents and continuing the perfect keyboard, HP Specter x360 15 2017 has a lot to offer its users.

It's not as thin as the previous model, measuring only 17.8mm thick instead of last year's 16mm laptop, but the HP Specter x360 15 retains a great form factor despite having full-size ports and a more traditional membrane keyboard than, say, a . Not to mention its ability to accommodate multiple foldable form factors, which is unheard of in most laptops, and a cutting-edge (albeit bulky) Windows 10 tablet.

HPSpecterx360 15: Price and Availability

HP Specter x360 15 is available in different configurations of RAM and built-in memory in Russian stores, but in any case, the remaining characteristics are predetermined. The model we came to review is equipped with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of internal PICe memory. This HP Specter x360 15 configuration is estimated at 98,000 rubles, although basic model A hybrid laptop starts at 82,000 rubles for 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD.

Design

The HP Specter x360 15 boasts a design that's guaranteed to draw envious glances while you're working at a coffee shop on a Tuesday afternoon.

Yes, it's massive compared to the small, ultra-thin laptops we're used to seeing these days. However, the manufacturer boasts attention to detail in almost everything, from the hinges to the formation of the grilles that surround the pair of Bang & Olufsen speakers located on either side of the keyboard.

From the back to the front of the HP Specter x360 15, the thickness of the laptop varies from 17.8 mm to 12.7 mm.

On the right side of the laptop you will find two USB port Type-C, one of which is supported. There's also an HDMI port nestled between the USB-C twins and the air vent, which even manages to be stylish. Next, you see a physical volume switch in case function keys F6 to F8 is not enough.

On the left side of the Specter x360 15, HP has included a single USB 3.1 port, a headphone jack, and even a slot for (bless you). Along with the second vent, you can see the power button. Both sides of the HP Specter x360 15 laptop, like other parts of it, are inlaid with gold accents.

The trackpad is also lined in gold, but it might have been worth avoiding the embellishment if it would have provided the ability to move the trackpad away from the keyboard. Although the keyboard has an excellent format, the proximity of the touchpad makes typing much more difficult.

While this doesn't happen often, once you get used to the HP Specter x360 15's trackpad (and perhaps the new palm position), you may find that your cursor moves around when you don't expect it.

It's hard to avoid positioning your thumbs in the top left and right corners touchpad when you're typing, which makes us wonder if it might have made sense to move the bar a little further away from the space bar?

Four functions 2 in 1...

The HP Specter x360 15 (2017) has a matte black, all-aluminum finish that feels very natural to the touch. And speaking of laptop touches, the 360-degree hinge means you can flip the screen in any direction to suit your needs. Like most 2-in-1 laptop/tablet hybrids of this type, the Specter x360 15 has four modes: laptop, tent, tablet, and tablet on a stand.

No matter which form factor you place the HP Specter x360 15 in, it will look damn good, not only because of HP's design prowess, but also because of the stunning picture quality of its eye-popping Ultra HD display.

You also won't have to worry about drowning out your machine's speakers when changing form factors, since there's a third speaker on the back designed to prevent that from happening. Despite some exceptions to the rule, as a rule, Bang & Olufsen produces high quality sound.

Fortunately, after careful testing, the HP Specter x360 15 speakers retained the high-quality sound expected from the company whose name the speakers are branded with. It's no AudioTechnica, but as laptops go, the speakers exceed all expectations.

The HP Specter x360 15 sets a pretty high standard for what a 2-in-1 hybrid laptop should look and sound like. Whether you're using it in stand or tablet mode, you get a consistently bright and colorful screen with deep blacks and great sound.

Considering that the laptop offers a full touch screen and the ability to change the form factor, the HP Specter x360 15 is objectively better than the 15-inch MacBook Pro(about 150,000 rubles). Which simply cannot offer these functions.

Considering the significantly lower price, you still get Core processor i7, 16 GB of RAM and discrete graphics with 2 GB of video memory. However, you also get access to a full range of ports, both new and old. While the MacBook Pro is limited to four USB-C ports The HP Specter x360 15 uses two ports, but offers full-size HDMI, a "normal" USB port, and even an SD card slot.

Compare the HP Specter x360 15 to a more affordable one, and you'll see an increase in UHD resolution, extra storage SSD memory than even the most expensive configuration of a Samsung laptop. Sure, you'll be able to buy the Notebook 7 Spin for significantly less than HP's ambitious rival, but the Specter x360 15 offers advantages that make it worth the price.

CharacteristicsHPSpecterx360 15 (2017):

Here is the configuration of the HP Specter x360 15 that we received for review:

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-7500U 2.7 GHz (2-core, 4 MB cache, up to 3.5 GHz);
  • Graphic arts: Nvidia GeForce 940MX (2 GB GDDR5) | Intel HD Graphics 620;
  • RAM : 16 GB DDR4 (2 x 8 GB SDRAM, 2.133 MHz);
  • Screen: 15.6" UHD (3,840 x 2,160) UWVA eDP BrightView;
  • Built-in memory: 512 GB PCIe SSD (NVMe, M.2);
  • Ports: 2 x USB 3.1 Type-C (1 x Thunderbolt 3), 1 x USB 3.1, 1 x HDMI, 3.5mm headphone/mic jack, SD card slot;
  • Connection: Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2x2); Bluetooth 4.2;
  • Camera: HP Wide Vision IR camera + dual matrix and digital. microphones;
  • Weight: 2 kg;
  • Size: 355.6 x 251 x 17.8 mm (W x D x H);

Performance

The HP Specter x360 15 may have an Intel Core i7 with Nvidia GeForce 940MX discrete graphics, but it's not gaming laptop. you will find in this rating. It is clear that additional graphics performance is aimed more at creative users who want to take advantage of graphically intensive tasks like photo editing and video processing. A laptop is suitable for this purpose.

As expected, while the HP Specter x360 15 performed well in the Sky Diver and Fire Strike tests, it struggled with 3DMark's new Time Spy stress test. However, it managed to double the results of the recent Acer Spin 7 in some sections.

As for Sky Diver, the laptop scored 6,648 compared to last year's HP Specter x360 15's 3,452. In the Fire Strike test, the laptop scored 1,925 compared to its predecessor's 848.

This is a significant difference from what we've seen before, and you can also compare the test results to the latest, which showed 3993 points in Sky Diver and 875 points in Fire Strike.

—

Benchmarks

Here's how the HP Specter x360 15 (2017) performed in our review tests:

  • 3DMark Time Spy: 548; Sky Diver: 6 648; Fire Strike: 1,925;
  • Cinebench (CPU): 346 points; Graphics: 63 FPS;
  • GeekBench 3: 3771 (Single core); 8017 (Multi-core);
  • PCMark 8 (Home Test): 2550 points;
  • PCMark 8 (Battery): 3 hours and 47 minutes;
  • Battery life (video test): 5 hours and 31 minutes;

As expected, the laptop not only outperformed last year's Skylake version, but also seriously challenged the latest x360 on Kaby Lake in a 13-inch format.

But this takes into account the performance of the GPU (video card), CPU The HP Specter x360 15 offers relatively the same performance as the 13-inch model, which makes sense considering they use the same processors.

One thing that stands out is that the laptop doesn't get too loud under load. The processor fan is virtually silent even when running multiple programs at the same time, ideal for working in public places.

Battery life

Keep in mind that the Core i7-7500U featured in the HP Specter x360 15 is mobile processor, designed for ultra-thin laptops. And while it offers decent performance, the decision to go for the smaller chip is driven by its power efficiency, hence you can expect extra battery life.

Unfortunately, in reality things are somewhat different. Compared to the 13.3-inch HP Specter x360, which easily passed PCMark 8 battery testing, the new HP Specter x360 15 offered only an hour of extra battery life from last year.

Our own video test, which consisted of looping Guardians of the Galaxy at 1080p until the battery drained, gave up three hours of battery life to the HP 13-inch hybrid. It's not the end of the world, but battery life is definitely a weak point of a laptop that you need to keep in mind.

Given the battery size of 79.2 Wh, the reduction in battery life was a surprise. We're also not sure how to feel about the laptop charger. On the one hand, the charger supports HP Fast Charge, which promises to charge the battery from 0 to 50% in 30 minutes, on the other hand, the charger is bulky and inconvenient, especially considering that you are already carrying a bulky 15-inch laptop with you.

However, most of the battery shortcomings can be chalked up to Nvidia's discrete graphics chip, which projects four times as many pixels onto the screen as Full HD laptops like the 13-inch Specter x360.

We liked: The HP Specter x360 15 is a prime example of what a 15-inch laptop should be. It sparkles with potential, with gold accents throughout and a comfortable backlit keyboard.

Unlike many other laptops bearing the Bang & Olufsen brand name, the HP Specter x360's speakers are loud and clear, whether you're listening to hip-hop or watching Guardians of the Galaxy for 5 hours and 31 minutes.

The screen with Ultra HD resolution also deserves attention, which is also beyond praise, as is the sound. Bright and rich colors the screen of the HP Specter x360 15 is a spectacle worthy of the laurels of a living flame in a fireplace. The laptop also uses Windows Ink, which is good addition, because it allows you to use a stylus.

We didn't like it: Of course, the HP Specter x360 15 is difficult to criticize, except for the disappointment in the battery life department. Three to five and a half hours (or so) for a laptop with a 79.2W battery and an Ultrabook processor isn't much, but that's the price you pay for the GeForce green mark and a super-sharp screen.

Also, since the trackpad is so wide, it sometimes gets in the way of typing because it sits too close to the resting position of your palms. It's more critical error, but otherwise, there’s nothing to criticize the Specter x360 15 for.

To sum it up...

For about RUB 100,000, you can buy a 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar, with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and just two USB-C ports with a headphone jack.

For the same price, you can purchase an HP Specter x360 15 equipped touch screen, a 360-degree hinge, an Intel Core i7 processor, an Nvidia GeForce 940MX graphics chip and a 15-inch UHD screen. And all this follows before you get access to full-size USB ports and the promising Thunderbolt 3 interface.

For its price, the HP Specter x360 15 boasts high-end specifications, as well as a luxurious design, coupled with wide functionality, which are very difficult to surpass. While it may struggle a bit with battery life and trackpad placement, it's the best laptop of 2017 and a great choice for editors and media content creators.

HP Specter x360 15 (2017) review

Anton Zim

06.04.2017 And while battery life isn't that great, the HP Specter x360 has high performance, versatility and stunning design that will surely attract a sea of ​​compliments.

8 Overall Score

Verdict:

While battery life isn't great, the HP Specter x360 delivers powerful performance, versatility, and a stunning design that's sure to get lots of compliments.

HP has announced an updated Specter 13 x360 laptop. New model became thicker and heavier, but at the same time it received an improved cooling system and battery slightly increased capacity - 61 Wh versus 60 Wh previously. However, this was enough to increase the laptop's battery life to 22.5 hours. The creators especially emphasize this point, calling the new Specter 13 x360 "quad-core transformer with the longest autonomy in the world".

The updated HP Specter 13 x360 is equipped with Intel Whiskey Lake processors up to Core i7-8565 (1.8-4.6 GHz), has up to 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB M.2 NVMe SSD. The screen diagonal is 13.3 inches, the resolution of the base IPS matrix is ​​Full HD, for an additional fee they will offer a 4K resolution display.


In the new model, the Intel 9560 module is responsible for the wireless interfaces (previously Intel 8265 was used); optionally, it will be possible to order a version with an LTE modem and two built-in SIM cards(eSIM).


The set of interface connectors has not changed (there are two Thunderbolt 3 and one USB Type-A), but, for example, the fingerprint scanner has moved from the side to the work panel under the lower arrow key, and turning the web camera on and off is now controlled by a mechanical switch. The side frames of the laptop screen have become 5.7% narrower, the bottom one has also shrunk a little - from 34.17 to 31.8 mm.


The new product will go on sale in December in the US and Europe; the price of the updated HP Specter 13 x360 will start at $1,150.

“The guys from HP came knocking on the door and offered to test some of their popular products for free.

A few days later, a 13-inch HP Specter x360 convertible laptop based on the 7th Intel generation(Kaby Lake) in one of the top configurations (model 13-w001ur).

Without exception, all specialized technical publications abroad highly rate the HP Specter x360:

  • Fifth place in the ranking of the best laptops of 2017 according to CNET.
  • First place in the ranking of the best 2 in 1 laptops according to CNET.
  • Fourth place in the ranking of the best laptops of 2017 according to TechRadar.
  • First place in the ranking of the best 2 in 1 laptops according to TechRadar.
  • Second place in the ranking of the best laptops of 2017 according to PC Mag.
  • First place in the ranking of the best 2 in 1 laptops according to PC Mag.
  • First place in the ranking of the best 2-in-1 laptops according to Laptop Mag.
  • First place in the ranking of the best 2 in 1 laptops according to PC World.

At first glance, the HP Specter x360 is no different from an ordinary ultrabook from the highest price segment: aluminium case 14 mm thick, weight 1.44 kg, cool display, powerful filling and cost more than 100 thousand rubles.

The magic begins when you open the laptop. The HP Specter x360 literally turns 360 degrees. It turns out to be a real tablet with the performance of a premium laptop.

HP Specter x360 Specifications (Model 13-w001ur)

CPU Intel Core i7 7500U 2.7 GHz
Video Intel HD Graphics 620
RAM 16 GB LPDDR3 1 866 MHz
SSD 512 GB, NVMe
Display 13.3 inches, IPS, Full HD (1,920 × 1,080), 165.6 ppi, touch, multi-touch
Cameras and microphone Front Full HD for video calls, IR for Windows Hello, two microphones
Sound Bang & Olufsen, four speakers
Connection Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2×2, Bluetooth 4.1
Interfaces 1 USB 3.0 Type-A, 2 USB 3.1 Type-C Thunderbolt 3, 3.5 mm mini-jack
Battery Li-Ion, 57.8 Wh
Housing material Aluminium alloy
Color Grey
Dimensions 306 × 218 × 14 mm
Weight 1.44 kg
Set Case, charger, Ethernet - USB C adapter.
Price "Yandex Market "

Design

Absolutely all modern ultrabooks are similar to each other.

No bells and whistles or unnecessary elements, because manufacturers are fighting for every gram and tenth of a millimeter.

Everything is strict, uniform and thin enough to accommodate the necessary filling. The results of this size race can only be seen in comparison.


Two generations of HP Specter x360 in comparison / TechRadar

Here are two HP Specter x360 models. Above last generation, below - the previous one. Everything seems to be the same, but the difference in size is obvious.

In practice, a device with dimensions of 306 × 218 × 14 mm and a weight of 1.44 kg seems incredibly light and compact, especially if you switch to it from a regular laptop.

Ports

The HP Specter x360 has just one USB 3.0 Type-A port, located on the left. If you want to connect more than one external device you will have to get or buy an adapter.

In addition to USB, on the left side there is a headphone jack, a power button and a grille for removing air from the cooling system.

On the right, the HP Specter x360 has a volume rocker and two USB 3.1 Type-C Thunderbolt 3 ports. One connector (either of the two) is supposed to be used to charge and power the laptop from an outlet, and the second to connect all sorts of peripherals.

The disadvantage of the laptop is the lack of HDMI and an SD card slot, which is why potential users who have not yet updated their peripherals may experience inconvenience.

USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3 are truly wonderful technologies that will allow you to replace absolutely all other ports in the future, but try to find one in your external storage or a monitor for this connector. Of course, switching to a single interface is the dream of any technoesthete, but in practice the financial factor will all come down to the purchase of several more adapters.

Considering that the HP Specter x360 kit includes an adapter only for Ethernet, you will have to look for and purchase other adapters yourself and at your own expense.

The lack of a slot for SD cards will upset not only photographers and cameramen, but also all those who are used to using a memory card as a memory expansion that is undemanding in terms of read and write speed.

Performance

The combination of Intel Core i7 7500U, 16 GB of RAM and a very fast PCIe SSD allows the HP Specter x360 to solve absolutely any non-specific tasks and ensure impeccable performance and stability.

You can open 20 or 30 tabs in Chrome, launch all office suite applications, and there will still be a large supply of resources.

Processor rating

Geekbench 4 Single-Core 4 191
GeekBench 4 Multi-Core 7 914
GeekBench 3 Single-Core 3 610
GeekBench 3 Multi-Core 7 612
CineBench R15 CPU Test Single-Core 144
CineBench R15 CPU Test Multi-Core 326

SSD rating

The NVMe drive provides some fantastic read and write speeds. Until recently, SATA-SSD seemed incredibly fast, especially compared to HDD, but now it’s already a thing of the past.

Graphics rating

Obviously, the HP Specter x360 will not replace a professional computer for design or work with graphics and video, but ultrabooks never seem to pretend to do such things.

GFXBench 3.0 T-Rex 94
GFXBench 3.0 Manhattan 47
3DMark Firestrike 864
3DMark Cloud Gate 6 051
3DMark Ice Storm 59 486
CineBench R15 GPU Test 45

The lack of a discrete graphics card does not allow the HP Specter x360 to be called an acceptable option for advanced gamers, but the power of the Intel Core i7 7500U in combination with Intel HD Graphics 620 is quite enough for most popular games.


This is what Battlefield 1 looks like. Graphics are at a minimum, but still beautiful (1,366 × 768, 29 FPS).

FPS in other games (low/medium settings, 1366 × 768)

Overwatch 40
CS GO 112
Far Cry 3 27
Battlefield 4 36
Metro: Last Light 28
Bioshock Infinite 36
Rainbow Six Siege 26

Noise and heat

HP Specter x360 is a fairly quiet and cool ultrabook for its performance. Thanks to Intel Core i7 7500U with TDP 15 W. When working in the browser, the noise of the cooling system is not detected at all. After a few minutes of watching streaming video high resolution There is a slight heating of the area next to the air exhaust grille. Most of the heat goes into back cover laptop. To feel the heating, you need to place the device on your lap.

It was possible to really warm up the laptop with heavy 3D games. In such an extreme mode for a non-gaming device, there is a whistle from the turbine and heat bordering on discomfort in the area where the cooling system is located. The HP Specter x360 successfully handled a 30-minute gaming session of Battlefield 1. There were no performance hitches during this time.

Screen

The 13.3-inch Full HD IPS touch display of the HP Specter x360 provides a very bright, rich and clear picture. The difference in quality will be especially noticeable to owners of typical budget laptops with TN panels. At 166 ppi, it is almost impossible to see the pixels.

The unusually thin side frames also attract attention. The distance from the display to the edge of the cover is only 6 millimeters.

A glossy screen does not add comfort when working on sunny summer days, but there are simply no other options for a touch screen.

Keyboard and touchpad

Typing on the HP Specter x360 is pleasant and convenient, not least thanks to the dedicated navigation keys on the right.

The keys are placed very well; they do not wobble or play, even if you make a swiping movement, lightly touching the surface of the keyboard. The glass touchpad of the HP Specter x360 has dimensions of 120 × 60 mm and is equipped with physical buttons left and right click. There were no complaints about it during the work process.

The key stroke length is only 1.3 mm, but the pressing itself is very obvious and somewhat reminiscent of the behavior of mechanics. At the beginning of pressing there is a tiny resistance, and at the end there is a clear click. You can evaluate the keyboard backlight yourself from the photo.

Battery

HP Specter x360 is equipped with lithium-ion battery 57.8 Wh capacity with technology fast charging(from 0 to 90% in 90 minutes). The laptop's operating time on one full charge, declared by the manufacturer, is 12.5 hours with constant surfing.

In reality, with active work in Chrome and screen brightness at 70% of the maximum (recommended default power settings), the HP Specter x360 lasted 10 hours and 4 minutes. The time obtained by the Laptop Mag laboratory under similar conditions turned out to be almost identical (10 hours 6 minutes). Judging by other tests available on the Internet, one full charge of a laptop lasts on average 10–11 hours.

Sound

Towards creation speaker system The HP Specter x360 was produced by Bang & Olufsen, a well-known company in audiophile circles, as the corresponding inscription on the case clearly hints at.

The laptop has four speakers in total: a pair under the grille on top, and another pair under the bottom cover. In this way, a more voluminous sound is achieved, which, however, is still devoid of expressive lows due to the small diameter of the drivers.

In total, the acoustics of the HP Specter x360 sound an order of magnitude better than any laptop with no-name speakers. Separately, it is necessary to note the absence of wheezing when listening at close to maximum volume.

Tablet mode

A convertible laptop takes some getting used to, especially if this is your first device of this format. At first, it’s hard for your brain to realize that right now, while you’re lying on the couch or sitting in a chair, you can turn the screen out and work with much greater comfort. But after a couple of days everything returns to normal. For example, the embarrassment of accidentally pressing keys when they are on the back side of the screen disappears. The keyboard always turns off in tablet mode, but it’s not easy to not be afraid of “accidentally pressing something and breaking everything.”

The obvious advantage of a transformable laptop over a tablet is that there is no need for a stand. All you need to do is turn the HP Specter x360 inside out and place it anywhere.

Unlike its predecessors, Windows 10 is much better optimized for touch screens. If you fundamentally reject Transformers and tablets on Windows only because of the unpleasant experience of working with them on the “eight”, then just try the “ten” once. With a high degree of probability, your opinion will change for the better.

Conclusion

HP Specter x360 deservedly takes first place in the ratings of ultrabooks and transformables. Returning after it to your laptop, bulky, heavy, plastic, creaky, with a screen from which your eyes are now bleeding, is very unpleasant.

It's hard to believe that such power fits into such compact and sophisticated forms. It's even harder to believe that Windows laptops have finally caught up and surpassed their Apple counterparts in terms of battery life.

If you still think that Ultrabooks aren't worth the money, you've either never used one, or you've been dealing with some bad model.

Lifehacker thanks HP for providing the device for testing.

We rarely test laptops, the reason for this is quite simple - there are so many offers on the market that even if all the authors write five reviews of laptops a month, we still will not be able to cover the entire variety of models, especially if we talk about the segment up to 20,000 rubles. But we can talk about fashion ultrabooks, of which there are not many, and, in my opinion, they are the most interesting from the point of view of getting to know them.

Characteristics

  • Class: ultrabook
  • Form factor: convertible laptop
  • Housing materials: aluminum
  • operating system:Windows 10
  • Platform: Intel Core i5-5200U/Core i7-5500U
  • Processor: dual-core 2.2/2.4 GHz
  • Video card: Intel HD Graphics 5500
  • RAM: 4/8 GB
  • Storage memory: SSD 256/512 GB
  • Wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), dual-band, Miracast support, Bluetooth 4.0 (A2DP, EDR)
  • Screen: 13.3’’, capacitive, IPS matrix, 1920x1080/2560x1440 pixels (FHD/Quad HD), automatic adjustment backlight level, oleophobic coating
  • Front-camera: 1.3 MP
  • Battery capacity: 56 Wh
  • Dimensions: 325 x 218 x 16 mm
  • Weight: 1.51 kg
  • Price: 78,000-117,000 rubles

Equipment

  • Laptop
  • Charger
  • power unit
  • Neoprene cover

The silver laptop comes with a black charger and a power supply of the same color. To be honest, I don’t understand what the problem is with integrating the power supply into the charger, as is done in the same MacBook Pro. Also in the box you will find a simple neoprene pocket case; it looks downright cheap and, as you may have noticed, gets dirty quickly.


Appearance, materials, control elements, assembly

I liked the laptop at first sight, even when I just took it out of the box. Still, the aluminum body provides a significant design advantage, which is why manufacturers so often use this move.


As I said, most of the body is made of aluminum, it is not the same as in the MacBook, less smooth and slightly rough to the touch. If you look at the Specter from behind, its design resembles a “sandwich”; the two halves seem to be unconnected at first glance, but this is not the case. Hinges are used as fastening; they also guarantee the device a 360-degree rotation of the screen.



The manufacturer did not skimp on various ports; I will list them (from left to right):

Right end:

  1. 3.5 mm for headphones
  2. Two USB ports
  3. HDMI 2.0
  4. MiniDP 1.2
  5. Volume rocker and Windows button

Left end:

  1. Connector for charger
  2. Ventilation grill
  3. USB port
  4. Power button with integrated indicator light
  5. SD card slot

At the bottom there is another air exhaust grille and two stereo speakers. The latter have an excellent volume reserve and good sound quality.


Dimensions

In terms of size, the HP Specter x360 is a typical representative of 13.3-inch laptops and does not differ much from most of them in size. Certainly, Acer Aspire The S7 is a little thinner and lighter, but you won't really notice the difference.



Transformer modes

The laptop supports four traditional transformer modes, thanks to two hinges you can rotate the screen 360 degrees.




In tablet mode, with the keyboard upside down, its buttons are automatically disabled, so you can safely press them while holding the device in your hands.

Screen

To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by the screen in all respects: the brightness and clarity of the picture, the presence of an oleophobic coating, excellent behavior in the sun and under artificial light, and competent scaling (although this is apparently due to the updated Windows 10).





I tested the older model with QuadHD resolution, and, again, I’m absolutely delighted with this screen, its quality is on par with the MacBook Pro 13 Retina.

The laptop has a wonderful oleophobic coating, which makes using the touch screen a pleasure.

operating system

The laptop runs full-fledged Windows 10, and everything here is very good with scaling. Skype itself looks quite tolerable, and the same applies to other applications. We are planning a separate review of the “ten”, so we will not discuss it in today’s article.




Performance and Heat

As you can see, the difference in the two versions of the laptop concerns not only the display, but also the amount of RAM/ internal memory, as well as the chipset used. I tested the older version, which just fine performed any everyday tasks from working in Word to editing photos in Photoshop. Of course, this model is definitely not worth considering as a gaming solution.







During use, I paid attention to the operation of the coolers. You might be just typing in Word or surfing Chrome when the fans suddenly wake up and start humming at full blast. However, no productive tasks are performed at this time. Perhaps this is the only drawback that I could find fault with.

Autonomous operation

The battery capacity is 56 Wh, the manufacturer promises you up to 12.5 hours of battery life, but in fact, these figures are far from reality. At maximum brightness and using simple text editors With the browser, the laptop charge lasted about five hours. HD video mode drained it in seven hours. If you leave your laptop in sleep mode overnight, it will go into hibernation mode after 15 minutes, so you'll find it in the morning with the same charge you left it with. Turning on in this case takes about three to four seconds.

Keyboard and touchpad

You know, I'm rarely satisfied with laptop keyboards, but the HP Specter pleasantly surprised me in this regard. Firstly, the location of the buttons - nothing is cut off anywhere, even for the ill-fated letters “Y” “Y” and “Y” they did not reduce the space, and this is very cool. Typing on this keyboard is a pleasure. The keys have a short travel, but you quickly get used to it, but I would like full-fledged arrows.




The laptop has a backlight for the keys, it is not adjustable in brightness; when it is turned off, one button continues to glow, and this, frankly, is annoying.


In the laptop world, it's common to praise the size of the touchpad in various MacBooks, but HP managed to outdo even Apple. The touchpad on this laptop is not just big, it's huge. At first, this solution seems clumsy, but then you get used to the appearance and begin to enjoy the advantages of such dimensions.


Wireless interfaces

There are no complaints about the wireless interfaces, both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth work great, there were no problems with them.

Conclusion

You can find two versions of the HP Specter X360 on sale: “simpler” and “more expensive”. The first uses FHD resolution, Intel Core i5, 4 GB of RAM and 256 internal memory, the second uses QuadHD, Core i7, 8 and 512 GB, respectively. The first costs 78,000 rubles, the second - 117,000 rubles.

In my opinion, overpaying for the older version is not advisable; you will not notice much of a difference between FHD and QuadHD on a similar diagonal, and the performance of the Core i7 in such a solution is excessive. The junior model looks like a good business laptop for people who need a fast and thin computer with an excellent screen, average operating time and the ability to use it as a transformer (for example, during flights). The key drawback of the model is the noisy operation of the fans, which turn on painfully often.

My main laptop is a MacBook Pro 13 Retina, and every time I test its competitors on Windows, I'm disappointed with one thing or another. It was all the more surprising for me to note that I can work perfectly on the Specter x360: I liked the keyboard, appearance laptop, screen, oleophobic coating and transformer modes, even Windows 10 has caught up a little in terms of scaling. The only thing in which the Specter is inferior to the same MacBook is the noise of the coolers, and this drawback did not seem critical to me.

Is this an expensive model? Here it would be appropriate to joke: “Not at all, in the segment up to $1000.” But seriously, all competitors cost +/- similar money, take the same Aspire S7 or MacBook Pro 13 Retina.