Home » New HP Spectre 13 x360, 15 x360 First Impressions

New HP Spectre 13 x360, 15 x360 First Impressions

Written By Vaughn Chua
Published • November 16th, 2018
Laptop
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HP just launched the latest generation of premium 2-in-1 convertible laptops, the Spectre 13 x360 and 15 x360, during the HP Home Planet 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I got to try both units so let me share you my first impressions.

When I first saw the Spectre 13 and 15 from the front, one thing came into mind — they look very similar to their previous models. They still have the premium-looking aluminum chassis, however, HP implemented a gem cut design which made it look more interesting and gave it some design advantages. Looking at the top left corner, you will see the power button while on the top right is a USB Type-C Thunderbolt port. The faceted edges are visually appealing and at the same time, very clever especially when users don’t want their peripheral plugs sticking out directly on the sides.

Based on their naming schemes, the Spectre 13 has a 13.3-inch screen size while the Spectre 15 comes with 15.6-inch with thin side bezels. Both convertibles come with a 4K micro-edge display option which is always a plus for those who prefer high-resolution screens with thin side bezels. There is also little screen flexes on both convertibles which is a sign of a good build quality.

For the Spectre 13, the power button and the USB 3.0 port are found on the left side while the Spectre 15 has the power button, charging port, HDMI, exhaust vents, and 3.5mm audio port.

On the right, the Spectre 13 has two USB Type-C Thunderbolt, 3.5mm audio ports, and the new privacy webcam kill switch which disables your webcam electronically. The Spectre 15 also comes with two USB Type-C Thunderbolt, one USB 3.0 port, privacy webcam kill switch, and exhaust vents.

Both the Spectre 13 and 15 come with the same body components. Above the backlit keyboard (the latter comes with a numpad, while the former doesn’t due to its smaller size) is the speaker grill powered by Bang & Olufsen, just below them is a fingerprint scanner and a wide trackpad. I enjoyed moving my fingers across the pad as it has the right amount of friction and smoothness which results to a more accurate navigation. The keys have good spacing even for the 13-inch model, however, they are a bit mushy to my liking but you can still feel a bit of tactility when pressed.

Just like with the previous model, the Spectre 13 and 15 x360 can fold their screens to activate the tablet mode. Thanks to the solidly built hinges, folding them can be done with one hand.

The Spectre 13 can be easily carried with one hand, unlike the Spectre 15 with a heavier build. Speaking of components, the 15 features an NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti Max-Q while the 13 doesn’t sport any GPU. What’s good, however, is that both of them feature an 8th-Gen Intel Core processor.

The new Spectre 13 boasts a long battery life which is said to last at about 22.5 hours while the Spectre 15 focuses more on power and performance.

I can’t wait to take both 2-in-1 convertibles for a full spin but for now, the HP Spectre 13 X360 starts at PHP 87,990USD 1,499INR 127,110EUR 1,428CNY 10,920 while the Spectre 15 X360 is yet to be priced.