Appearance and components

The HP Specter x360 laptop took a leading position in the ratings of the best laptops of 2017 compiled by renowned computer portals and online publications.

In particular, CNET, PC World, PC Mag. The device is distinguished by a productive internal filling, an elegant aluminum body and a design that turns it into a tablet.

Let's take a closer look at what's hidden behind all this, find out whether a laptop can really become a competitor to Mac books, because sales expensive gadgets go down, and consider all its positive and negative sides.

Contents:

Flawless appearance

Specter x360 looks like it should be a high-end device price category, stylish. And it cannot be any other way, because the development was carried out in close cooperation between HP and Microsoft.

When you first meet it, not everyone will distinguish it from a Mac book if you close the HP logo.

The thickness of the body is reduced to the limit, just so that the filling fits inside. All for the sake of increasing portability.

Strong pressure on any part of the body does not cause its deformation (punching).

Matte, finished with expensive, carefully polished aluminum, it does not collect on itself.

Design

The presence of a hinge mechanism in a laptop design is not new, but HP is not afraid to improve on the achievements of its competitors.

Thanks to well-thought-out mechanics, the laptop received several unusual operating modes:

The most interesting– the ability to set it up in the form of a tent, a triangle, which is not very practical, but is good for show;

option for demonstrating presentations, videos, etc.– the display is turned towards the user, and the keyboard is located behind the screen – inverse first mode;

the screen lies on the keyboard.

The lid opens, surprisingly, tightly, and you can’t cope with the task of opening the laptop with one hand, because the case will simply come off the surface where it is located.

On the other hand, this is a plus - if you set it up as a tent, you don’t have to worry about the device collapsing on a smooth surface.

Weight 1440 grams– not the most impressive for a gadget that can be used as a tablet, and the thickness of 15 mm makes using the device as a tablet very inconvenient. But let's not forget that the HP Specter x360 is not a tablet, given its hardware component (a review of the hardware will follow).

Interfaces

The laptop is equipped with a pair of USB ports version 3.1, through which you can also recharge its battery.

There is no HDMI port; to connect to a TV or monitor you need an additional one, which is not included in the package. There is also no slot for working with SD cards.

One of the USB ports is combined with Thunderbolt 3– a magical technology that could replace all other ports in the coming years. In practice, even a decade may not be enough for this, because finding a monitor or external storage It's not easy for this connector. And the acquisition of the necessary conductor negates the availability.

For convenient operation in tablet mode, there is a separate rocker for adjusting the sound. The power button is located on sidebar.

Controls

The Specter x360 keyboard is very soft and comfortable, despite the fact that the travel of the rather large keys exceeds 1 mm. Each press produces a distinct click.

The laptop is quite expensive models, and the design of the keys is primitive. As planned, their color scheme blends in with the color of the body, which not everyone will find pleasant.

The material for the manufacture of keyboard elements is silver plastic in the color of aluminum.

The rather “liquid” backlighting of the keys is replete with a pale blue glow. It will simplify work in the dark without additional light sources.

The intensity of the glow, alas, is not adjustable: the backlight either works or it is turned off, which does not apply to the function key F5.

It always lights up, seemingly acting as a power indicator, which attracts unnecessary attention.

To summarize, we can say that the key backlighting has been given mediocre attention.

Below the keyboard is an unusually large for such a small laptop (its dimensions are almost 100% larger than the average touch area on similar devices), made of glass.

Whether it is good or bad, everyone evaluates for themselves. The low sensitivity of the touchpad sometimes causes irritation and a desire to buy a mouse.

Infrared camera

A notable feature of the HP Specter x360 is the front-facing infrared camera. She, thanks Windows technologies Hello, gives you the ability to unlock your device with just a glance.

To do this, you need to scan the owner’s face several times, after which the program will compare the images of the faces in front of the camera with the reference one.

This way, several users can automatically log into their own profile. The function does an excellent job in a brightly lit room and at dusk, when there is not much light.

Display

The screen has a diagonal size of 13.3 inches. The display itself is edged with a wide glossy black frame.

By reducing it a little, it was possible to achieve a few millimeters in the length of its diagonal.

Due to the matte finish, fingerprints are always visible around the display, and you have to touch the edge almost every time you open the device or switch it to tablet mode.

A resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels is the most optimal for a display of this size, although there are also modifications with a higher resolution (why?). Firstly, they negatively affect battery life, and secondly, they have not yet learned how to optimize the operation of the operating system with such high resolutions on small displays.

Expressed weaknesses it does not have and is suitable for working in dark rooms, outdoors in not the brightest weather, for navigating the network, processing photographic materials, text documents and video playback.

Sound

The Specter x360 audio system is designed by Bang & Olufsen and is made to perfection. Four speakers: a pair is located under the grille above the keyboard, the second is at the bottom of the case.

Fine professional tuning of the speakers made it possible to get rid of noise; at maximum volume nothing wheezes or crackles.

Due to the small dimensions, the three-dimensional sound effect could not be achieved. Music lovers note a lack low frequencies. The standard 3.5 mm audio jack allows for connection of speakers, headphones or an audio system.

Filling

It's time to review the performance of the HP Specter x360. The hardware configuration of the base model is as follows.

Cheaper devices come with RAM halved and a 256 GB or even 128 GB solid-state drive.

Performance

Despite the small thermal package (the processor consumes only 15 W at maximum load), working in conjunction, the equipment is capable effectively solve all everyday problems:

opening more than a dozen tabs in the browser with different content (lots of graphics, videos);
watching videos in FullHD;
visualization of a variety of graphics-intensive documents and simple two-dimensional projects.

Despite such low power consumption CPU still equipped with an active cooling element.

In addition to the heat pipe, the CPU is additionally cooled by a tiny turbine, which is almost inaudible, although it almost always makes you aware of its existence, especially after.

His clock frequency rises from the standard 1.7 GHz by more than 100% - to 3.5 GHz.

After overclocking, scaling of parts of the project (testing was carried out on a bulky document) occurs without delays noticeable to the human eye.

Treatment raster graphics showed slightly worse results - there were delays of several seconds when cropping, shading an area, or filling a photo.

Verdict: Specter x360 is suitable for virtually any activity, with the exception of 3D modeling and processing of bulky documents, including encoding and video editing. It's all due to weak integrated graphics.

The laptop copes worse with games, and it is not intended for gamers who, even at night, dream of going to another virtual world.

Still, testing was not complete without launching heavy 3D entertainment.

Game tests

For visualization simple games built-in GPU enough, if someone on the road, while waiting for a business partner or during a break becomes completely bored.

To satisfy the interests of less sane gamers, here are the results of several tests after multiplying the stock 1.7 GHz to a maximum of 3.5 GHz.

The number of frames was within the limit of 30 per second, which is very good for the built-in graphics core at a low resolution of 1280 × 720 px.

To summarize: the device solves all everyday tasks with enviable speed, only when working with large and resource-intensive projects are slowdowns and delays noticeable.

In this review I will look at latest model HP Specter x360 13 (2017), equipped with a 13.3-inch Full HD display (1920x1080 with 166 PPI), a Core i7-8550U processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB solid-state drive (SSD).

Its price is $1,250 (RUB 70,000), including a stylus (active pen) and color scheme Natural Silver. In the maximum configuration, the Specter x360 13 costs $1,820 (RUR 101,000) with the same Core i7-8550U processor, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD, 4K UHD display (3840 × 2160 and 331 PPI) and in two additional colors - Pale Rose Gold or Dark Ash Silver.

HP Specter x360 13 (2017) has a slim and beautiful design

HP Specter x360 13 (2017) has not changed much in design: the thickness has decreased to 1.37 cm, and the weight has decreased from 1.3 to 1.25 kg. The side frames of the screen have been narrowed to a few millimeters.

The new design makes the Specter x360 slightly thinner than the 13.3-inch Lenovo Yoga 720 (1.52 cm and 1.32 kg). The body of the new x360 is quite durable and does not creak, but the lid and bottom flex under the slightest pressure.

The rear edges of this laptop have rigidly beveled edges, compared to the rounded edges of the previous model, and the hinge is tighter. This is felt when rotating the display from one position to another.

Keyboard, touchpad, stylus and cameras

The HP Specter x360 13 (2017) keyboard carries over from the previous model and retains the excellent key press experience. The Yoga 920 and 720 have similar keyboards, but they're less tactile and precise than those on HP's x360 13. The keyboard here has a uniform backlight, but it does not have brightness settings.

Specter x360 13 (2017) touchpad still uses outdated drivers Synaptic and does not comply with the Microsoft Precision Touchpad protocol. But the stylus has been given a number of new features: a customizable button, an eraser and a gyroscope, which allows it to function as a " laser pointer» for presentations.

The stylus of this x360 13 has its own battery and can be charged via the USB Type-C port, which is located under the eraser. It's great for navigating user interface and notes.

Infrared cameras and facial recognition have also been carried over from the previous model. HP has added a fingerprint scanner, which is located on the right side of the case. Both unlocking methods work quickly and accurately.

Specter x360 13 display

The new 2017 Specter x360 13 features a 13.3-inch Full HD display. You can also choose a model with a full-screen display and the HP Sure View privacy feature that was first introduced in the EliteBook x360 G2.

Screen brightness is good at 301 nits and contrast is 770:1. But the previous generation Full HD display managed a stronger contrast ratio of 910:1 compared to the Yoga 920's 880:1 and the Yoga 720's 600:1.

The color gamut here is average: 71% AdobeRGB and 94% sRGB, with an accuracy of up to 2.91 (less than 1.0 is considered excellent). Again, the previous generation shows better results.

Great sound for movies

The Bang & Olufsen speaker located above the keyboard is standard for the model top level. Its sound is above average, but quite loud and easily fills a small room.

I used Bang & Olufsen's app to turn up the bass, but the sound on the HP Specter x360 13 (2017) remained virtually unchanged. The music here sounds at a decent mid and high level, but with weak bass.

Connectivity

The HP Specter x360 13 (2017) laptop has one USB-A port 3.1 and two USB Type-C ports with support for Thunderbolt 3. Any of the two USB Type-C is supposed to be used to charge the laptop from an outlet, and connect all kinds of peripherals to the second.

Benchmark performance

HP Specter x360 13 (2017) features the latest quad-core Intel processor Core i7-8550U. In the Geekbench4 test, the x360 13 I reviewed scored 4,882 single-core and 14,135 multi-core. This compares to the very fast Yoga 920 - 4,683 and 14,566 points respectively.

In the more demanding Handbrake test, which encoded a 420MB video to H.265, the latest Specter x360 13 completed the process in 723 seconds. But the Yoga 920 was faster - 613 seconds, while the previous generation Specter x360 with Core i7-7500U took 1095.

HP also introduced an updated cooling system into the new x360 13, which uses infrared sensor for measuring case temperature and modulating fans. During the test, the case never became hot.

Fast SSD storage

HP installed a Lite-On CA1 PCIe SSD on the HP Specter x360 13 (2017) I tested. Solid State Drive works quickly. In the Crystal Disk Mark test, it achieved 1,769 MB/s write and 998 MB/s read. This is a good indicator compared to the Yoga 920 - 1,172 MB/s and 1,147 MB/s, respectively.

The previous generation Specter x360 used a slower SSD that clocked in at 1,202 MB/s and 583 MB/s, so we have a decent upgrade in that regard.

In actual use, the Specter x360 13 SSD performed well: the device booted quickly, opened applications and files without lag, and completed all tasks with ease.

Specter x360 is still not for gaming

Eighth-generation Intel processors provide some real performance gains on the HP Specter x360 13 (2017), but not for gaming. Integrated graphics Intel card UHD 620 received a change only in the name, but its capabilities remained the same.

The Late 2017 Specter x360 13 ranks higher in 3DMark tests than any other machine using a similar GPU.

I tested Civilization VI on medium and ultra-high settings. The new Specter x360 13 achieved 12 FPS and 7 FPS in the game, respectively. For more serious products, you'll have to buy a more powerful laptop, or the Surface Book 2, which is the best (and most expensive) 2-in-1 option for gaming.

Compactness and battery life

Full HD display combined with an efficient eighth generation processor and relatively big battery- the best choice for those who want high-quality video viewing and better battery life.

In the most aggressive battery test (the Basemark test), my Specter x360 13 lasted 4 hours and 14 minutes, beating the Yoga 920's 3 and 23 minutes. But the EliteBook x360 G2 with Core i7-7600U lasted 4 hours 48 minutes.

When browsing the web, the x360 13 (2017) lasted 8 hours and 25 minutes, which is almost equal to the EliteBook x360 G2, but fell behind the previous Specter model with 13 and 18 minutes. As you can see, the eighth generation Core i7 processor begins to demonstrate its effectiveness when the processor load is reduced.

The latest Specter x360 13 performed well in the video playback test. Here HP worked for 14 hours 18 minutes, beating the Yoga 920 and its competitors. Of all the machines tested, only Lenovo ThinkPad The X1 Carbon (14 hours 30 minutes) and Surface Book 2 (more than 20 hours 30 minutes) lasted longer.

In any case, the new x360 13 with moderate use will last more than eight hours without additional recharging.

Software and Warranty

The HP Specter x360 13 (2017) I reviewed ran on Windows 10, which added some programs: trial version McAfee and Dropbox (with the latter we will get free 30 GB of space for a year if we create account). The rest of the software is what's included in every Windows 10 system.

HP offers the latest Specter x360 13 with a standard one-year warranty.

Is there an alternative to HP Specter x360 13 2017?

The 2017 Specter x360 13 Convertible can be compared to the Yoga 720 13, which offers the same 13.3-inch display in Full HD or 4K UHD options, with a more powerful eighth-generation processor. But, it does not have the same lightweight design and time battery life, like new x360.

To others good option is the Lenovo Yoga 920 13.9 with an updated design and the most durable body among 2-in-1 devices. Its price is $1,330 (RUB 75,000) in the basic version.

Microsoft Surface Book 2 13 will be the most best choice if you plan to use the 2-in-1 more of the time as a tablet, but it has more high price$1,500 (RUB 84,000). Surface Book 2 comes with a Core i7 processor, graphics chip Nvidia GTX 1050, 4K display and incredible battery life.

Bottom line

The new HP Specter x360 13 (2017) is an amazing convertible laptop that will be an excellent device for work. It provides fast work, long term battery life, and a durable and versatile folding design.

Add to all this an improved stylus, great keyboard, the flexibility of Windows 10 Hello and HP's 2-in-1 convertible will take its place as your favorite laptop that doubles as a tablet.

Benefits of HP Specter x360 13 (2017)

Good performance.
Excellent battery life.
Comfortable keyboard.
Beautiful design.
Stylus with special functions.

Disadvantages of Specter x360 13 (2017)

Full HD display from the previous model.
Low sensitivity of the stylus.

Hybrid laptop HP Specter x360 13 (2017) - video trailer

If you find an error, the video does not work, please select a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

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 backlight level adjustment, 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 black Charger and the same color power supply. 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 aluminium case gives significant advantage in design, which is why manufacturers use this move so often.

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:

3.5 mm for headphones
Two USB ports
HDMI 2.0
MiniDP 1.2
Volume rocker and Windows button

Left end:

Charger connector
Ventilation grill
USB port
Power button with integrated indicator light
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

I admit honestly, 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 artificial lighting 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 can simply type text in Word or surf with using Chrome, and then 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 a browser, the laptop's 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

TO wireless interfaces There are no complaints, 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 won’t notice much of a difference between FHD and QuadHD on a similar diagonal, but Core performance i7 is redundant in such a solution. 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 well on the Specter x360: I liked the keyboard, the appearance of the laptop, the screen, the oleophobic coating and the transformer modes, even Windows 10 has improved 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.

Be careful, Apple MacBook Pro has a new competitor.

HP Specter x360 15 (2017) may be simple update last year's same name, but do not confuse the iteration with the new product. 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;

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

It's not as thin as previous model, is only 17.8 mm thick instead of the 16 mm of last year's laptop, but the HP Specter x360 15 retains an excellent form factor, despite having full-size ports and a more traditional membrane keyboard than, say, . 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 configuration of the HP Specter x360 15 is priced at 98,000 rubles, although the base model of the hybrid laptop starts at 82,000 rubles for 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD.

Design

The HP Specter x360 15 laptop boasts appearance, who is guaranteed to attract envious glances while working at the café 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 Type-C ports, one of which is supported. There are also HDMI port, which is located between the USB-C twins and ventilation grille, even she manages to be stylish. Next, you see a physical volume switch in case the function keys F6 to F8 aren't 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 ventilation hole, 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 of the touchpad when you're typing, which makes us wonder if it might have made sense to move the pad a little further away from the spacebar?

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.

HP Specter x360 15 installs quite high standard What a 2-in-1 hybrid laptop should look and sound like. Whether you use it in stand or tablet mode, you get a always-bright, 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 a Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and discrete graphics with 2GB of VRAM. However, you also get access to full set 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 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

HP Specter x360 15 may be equipped with Intel Core i7 with discrete Nvidia graphics GeForce 940MX, but it's not at all gaming laptop. you will find in this rating. It's clear that the extra graphics performance is aimed more at creative users who want to take advantage of graphics-intensive tasks like photo editing and video editing. 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 that's considering GPU (video card) performance, the HP Specter x360 15's CPU offers comparatively the same performance as the 13-inch model, which makes sense considering they share the same processors.

One thing that stands out is that the laptop doesn't get too loud under load. The processor fan operates almost silently even when several programs are running simultaneously, perfect solution for work 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, consisting of a looped playback of Guardians of the Galaxy in 1080p resolution up to complete discharge battery, gave up three hours of battery life to the 13-inch HP hybrid. It's not the end of the world, but battery life certainly is. weakness laptop you should 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 a nice addition as 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 get the HP Specter x360 15, which comes with a touchscreen, 360-degree hinge, Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GeForce 940MX graphics, and a 15-inch UHD screen. And all this comes before you get access to full-size USB ports and future-proof Thunderbolt interface 3.

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.

“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 generation Intel (Kaby Lake) arrived to us 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: aluminum case 14 mm thick, weight 1.44 kg, cool display, powerful hardware and cost more than 100 thousand rubles.

The magic begins when you open the laptop. 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 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 an external drive or 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 left and right click buttons. 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

Bang & Olufsen, a well-known company in audiophile circles, had a hand in the creation of the HP Specter x360 speaker system, 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 are not worth the money, you either have never used them or have dealt with some unsuccessful model.

Lifehacker thanks HP for providing the device for testing.