HP Spectre x360 Review: The World’s Thinnest Laptop, Updated

A year-and-a-half after the release of the original HP Spectre, the Microsoft-HP collaboration offers and updated, slimmer and sleeker laptop. Maintaining the same hinge design—keeping the four different viewing options—and full HD (1920×1080 display), the HP Spectre x360

A year-and-a-half after the release of the original HP Spectre, the Microsoft-HP collaboration offers and updated, slimmer and sleeker laptop. Maintaining the same hinge design—keeping the four different viewing options—and full HD (1920×1080 display), the HP Spectre x360 combines features that made the original great with new improvements in sound and overall portability.

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At 13.8mm thick and only 2.85 pounds, the new-and-improved Spectre will sit lighter on your lap fit more easily in your bag. The size reduction comes at a cost, however. Ports have been reduced to two USB-C outlets and one regular-sized USB port. With no card reader or HDMI ports to speak of, the Spectre offers barebones connections. HP makes up for it with a 15-inch screen crammed into a 13.3-inch chassis, thanks to HP’s “Micro Edge” panel (i.e. a much smaller bezel). The keyboard also stretches from edge-to-edge, which will take some getting used to.

According to a recent Engadget review, the trackpad needs some work. Equipped with a Synaptics click pad with a high-friction surface, it  will often “phantom left-click,” without a prompt from the user.  Unlike other Microsoft’s Precision touchpads, it’s a bit of a letdown. The Spectre also has a tendency to whirr loudly when using its fans, and the bottom of the laptop gets so hot at times it can burn bare legs.

The new-Spectre has an over 15-hour battery life, and a large horizontal audio grille across the top of the keyboard houses a decent pair of Bang & Olufsen speakers. A seventh-gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD will fulfill the needs of most users. Some Windows-specific features include an improved camera, allowing for a more precise Windows Hello login.

The Spectre x360 has some stiff competition, notably from the Surface Book and Lenovo Yoga. Still, a compact and lightweight design are what you need, the new HP Spectre is the answer. Just be prepared to make some compromises.