Let's clarify one point: last year I bought HP Spectre x360. I bought it after 2 months (real) of comparisons, Excel tables, compulsive viewing of video reviews and analysis of the individual components. Finally, in May 2017, 2 weeks before leaving for Los Angeles, I decided to get my wallet and I made my choice: I opened Amazon and ordered the HP Specter x360.
The reason? There really isn't just one. I chose HP's ultralight laptop because it's a convertible, it's super comfortable to carry and it's powerful enough to hold up for a few hours in the company of Adobe Premiere Pro. In short, last year the Specter x360 - or James Bond's computer, as I like to call it - it was the best choice for someone like me who wanted something for work on-the-go.
And today? Today a new version of this laptop has been released, a version that I have been mistreating for a few days now and that confirms what I have already experienced with its predecessor: HP Specter x360 is the best laptop of 2017, and at this rate it will take home victory. also for 2018.
HP Specter x360: the technical characteristics
Before explaining how and why HP Specter x360 managed to break into my heart, let's see the technical specifications of this notebook.
Display: 13 pollici – Full HD WLED micro-edge touchscreen – Corning Gorilla Glass
CPU: Intel Core i7-8550U @ 1.80GHz
RAM: 8 GB
Archiving: SSD da 512GB – Toshiba KXG50ZNV512G
Motherboard: HP 83B9 (U3E1)
Graphic card: Intel UHD Graphics 620
Connectivity: Intel Dual Band Wireless AC 8265
Ports: 2 USB Type-C (one of which is dedicated to power supply), 1 USB, 1 3,5 mm jack, 1 microSD reader
Other: fingerprint reader
Stylish like James Bond
HP Specter x360 points to minimalism with a aluminum body, a rear part that leaves room only for the grill for heat dissipation and the front one that includes only the American company logo. The same finish that characterizes the glossy and mirrored HP writing can be found in the hinge of this convertible, hinge designed to let you rotate the display completely, so as to obtain a comfortable tablet.
To distinguish it from the previous model are very few elements, almost imperceptible. I am talking first of all about the corners, now less rounded than the model I bought last year, but also about the space reserved for the keyboard - now without side edges -, the almost brilliant profile of the trackpad, the addition of an additional grid. on the rear profile of the notebook, the on / off and volume adjustment keys that are now slightly pyramidal, the inclusion of a microSD reader on the left and the fingerprint reader on the right profile. In short, subtleties. Small details that overall make this Specter x360 even more captivating.
There are also components that have not undergone any changes. Above all the keyboard, also perfect for long writing sessions and backlit to be usable even in the dark, and the Bang & Olufsen speaker, which guarantees a truly incredible audio experience considering the absolutely small size of this notebook. The thickness has also remained almost identical, while something has changed in terms of weight. The latest version of HP Specter x360 is indeed slightly heavier than its predecessor, but don't worry, taking it with you will be just as simple and won't have any bad effects on your back. You will hardly know you have it in your backpack.
Finally, we come to the display. Here something changes. The display is always from 13,3 inches, always with Full HD resolution and always touch, but maximum brightness is increased, as is sRGB coverage. A numerically minimal change but one that I was able to appreciate in the long term. In short, in practice the display of the new model is better than that of the older brother.
Let's talk about the HP Tilt Pen
The package of HP Specter x360 reserves two surprises: the first, not particularly appreciated, is the absence of the adapter dedicated to the Ethernet port, adapter present in the previous version, while the second is the inclusion of the HP Tilt Pen, which alone costs 99 Euros.
The pen, which uses Elan technology, is of good construction, equipped with two comfortable buttons and rechargeable via a retractable USB Type-C port.
Unfortunately, however, not all that glitters is gold. The HP Tilt Pen is still not up to par with the fierce competition. There latency, albeit slight, and the lack of precision does not make it particularly suitable for freehand drawing; you can of course take quick notes but as long as you press a lot on the screen, otherwise you will get dashed lines rather than lines.
However, this does not mean that the pen is useless. It depends on the tool used and the purpose. With OneNote, for example, you can take quick notes or make quick sketches, while with Illustrator you have all in all a good result if you rely on the use of existing shapes rather than your manual skills. Also not bad working with Adobe Premiere Pro in editing, even if it did not allow me to achieve the same level of efficiency as a mouse.
On balance, in short, the HP Tilt Pen is a good accessory for less demanding users, thanks to the excellent autonomy and the rapidity of recharging, but more can be done, especially considering the cost of this pen.
What changes under the hood?
The biggest change in terms of hardware is the processors. The new generation of HP Specter x360 takes advantage of processors Kaby Lake-R by Intel. However, it is difficult to make an adequate comparison with the previous model. Because? Simple: my Specter is equipped with a 5th generation i7, here we have an XNUMXth generation Intel Core iXNUMX processor. In short, the comparison would not be quite fair, but I can tell you that the difference is not that extreme in terms of performance. Both models behave very well even under stress, managing to handle the heavy Adobe programs without much effort.
However, the latest version of this notebook brings with it a not insignificant change. HP has in fact revised the layout of the internal components, changing the position of the fans and the grill dedicated to cooling the PC. The result? Lower temperatures and minimal noise.
Finally we come to the battery. Here the bar shifts in favor of the older model. The HP Specter x360 I bought last year boasts incredible autonomy. With a single charge I can really get to the end of the day, provided of course that I do not too expensive activities. In short, if you have to write, surf the Internet and manage your emails, don't worry: 8-10 hours are practically guaranteed. The new model, despite being equipped with a slightly larger battery, offers a couple of hours less. A small pledge to pay for better hardware than the old version.
HP Specter x360: who is it for?
Let's try to sum up a bit. HP Specter x360 is a laptop handy, easily transportable and with a decidedly important autonomy. This makes it suitable for all those who travel a lot. In fact, you can use it comfortably on the plane, take advantage of it on the train, use it at the bar while drinking a coffee and you have no problems taking it from one office to another to show some new presentation to your colleagues. To this then you have to add the performances. Of course, it's not a gaming PC, that's not its purpose, but it can handle very heavy software and files without much effort.
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