How HP Has Turned Its Spectre x360 Into an Even More Appealing Hybrid

HP’s latest Spectre x360 2-in-1 hybrid boasts a thinner, lighter design and more power and storage, all designed to appeal to both business and consumer users.

The Spectre x360 two-in-one hybrid can be used in several different modes. In one configuration, the device can be configured as a traditional notebook. In another, its screen can be folded atop the keyboard, turning it into a tablet. Users also can prop up the screen or put it in a tent mode to watch videos and movies.

HP believes the Spectre x360’s screen could be a selling point—and it might be right. The 13.3-inch screen is flanked by a “micro-edge” bezel and uses IPS technology to deliver wide-angle viewing. On the resolution front, the hybrid comes in at a respectable full HD. The display also has a 72 percent color gamut, allowing it to show a variety of colors in the spectrum.

HP says it improved upon its Spectre x360’s efficiency and was able to get 25 percent more life out of its battery. That translates to up to 15 hours of battery life on a single charge during normal use. For most users, that should suffice.

The HP Spectre x360’s battery can be recharged rather rapidly. In fact, HP says that when the computer is turned off, its battery life can be boosted by up to 50 percent of its total capacity in just 30 minutes. After the battery gets to 50 percent, charging speed returns to its standard speed, but getting to that level so quickly is awfully nice.

HP is offering a broad array of internal component options in the Spectre x360. According to the company, the computer can be configured with seventh-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors and up to a 1TB solid-state drive. Customers will also be able to get up to 16GB of onboard storage. For power users, the Spectre x360 should perform quite well.

As one might expect, the Spectre x360 ships with Windows 10 built in. However, the base model comes with Windows 10 Home, which might not suffice for power users and corporate customers. On the security side, users will find support for Windows Hello, thanks to the Spectre x360’s infrared front-facing camera. The feature allows users to log into the computer using facial recognition.

Like the Spectre that came before it, the latest model features high-quality audio performance. The Spectre x360 has four speakers built in that have all been tuned by audio company Bang & Olufsen. The addition of HP Audio Boost also gives the speakers better sound quality.

Customers hoping to have a nicely portable computer will find it in the HP Spectre x360. The hybrid is just 13.8mm thick, making it 2mm thinner than the previous generation. HP has also been able to make it lighter at 2.85 pounds, compared with last year’s model’s 3.2 pounds. Finally, HP’s aforementioned bezel design has shaved off nearly 10mm from each side of the screen.

There are no shortage of ports for Spectre x360 users. The computer ships with two USB Type-C ports and supports Thunderbolt 3. The computer even comes with a USB Type-A 3.0 port. All of that translates to support for both old-fashioned and next-generation accessories.

The HP Spectre x360, which is available now on HP.com and BestBuy.com, has a starting price of $1,050, though customers who want a better processor, more RAM or the higher-capacity solid-state drive should be prepared to pay significantly more. A nicely equipped Spectre x360 won’t be cheap, but for all it offers, it might deliver a nice value to some customers.