HP Spectre x360 - 2021 model - Review

Normally when I get a chance to review laptop, it is a performance device or a gaming machine, it is rare that I get to focus on one that is an allrounder and more of an actually portable device. However that is what the HP Spectre was for, of course this wasn't just the average laptop, this included the new 11th Gen Intel processor but did that make a big difference or was it just a case of marketing hyperbole?

Well this does include the new processor, this is more than just an upgrade to the existing Spectre line, so anyone who has ever seen or used one of those in the past will understand what they should be looking at here the biggest change is that it is slightly smaller in its overall dimensions even though the screen is the same size. The screen size is actually 13.4 inches, but because the bezel around the screen has been reduced, a lot, it has allowed the dimensions to shrink, whilst maintaining the screen size. I will say, having been using a Surface for a number of years now, as my primary laptop, it did take a moment to adjust back to the 16:9 ratio, instead of the 3:2 that the Surface uses, not a knock against the Spectre, just a note. The smaller dimension are not that small, at least when you look at them, we have a laptop that is 30.7cm long by 19.55cm deep and has a thickness of 1.7cm, but when you compare it to most other laptops, it can look fairly small in comparison.

The other factor for the size is actually a nice touch and that is the body, the weight of it is about 1.3kg, making it on the lighter side of things, but it also comes encased in a gem cut aluminium body. The gem cut is marketing from HP, but what it means is that it can look like a jewel, like a diamond that has been cut by someone, providing shape and that is the case here. Now when you look at it front on, you won’t see that, instead you will when you look at the side or rear of the machine, the angled corners at the back highlight it amazingly well. The corners are also where you will find the power button and the USB-C port for power, though the location of the power button is weird, it took me a while to locate it, as a power button hidden away from the user is totally not normal. While we are talking about buttons, we should highlight the other options on the case, on the left side there is 3.5mm audio jack and a USB-A port, which has a jaw to access it.

On the other side of the laptop you will find a second USB-C port, just around from the power, but while you can use this for power, it is actually a Thunderbolt 4 port, allowing you to connect an external display. Located just down from it is a microSD card, for those that need to insert a digital camera card or such, perhaps the most noteworthy function is between the two and that is the webcam kill switch, flicking that to on, kills power to it, ensuring that your camera can’t be accessed remotely. As far as inputs go, that is it, this is not a device for those that need many USB slots, though a USB hub might fix that, but for on the go access, you have two, if you are charging it up. When I was looking at the list of what was around it, I initially did think that it was less ports than I would have liked, but I never found that I was wanting.

The design of the Spectre embraces the 2in1 device model allowing you to flip the screen around and use it as more of a tablet and that is where those impressive hinges come into effect. While I did give it a go, that was not my preferred way of using the Spectre, purely because I have an iPad, but the fact that the option is there, it is a nice to have choice. Even when I did flip it around, the laptop never wobbled, which is something I have had happen on other devices of the same type, which highlights just how sturdy the aluminium body is.

Leaving the looks alone for a bit, we should talk about performance, because this sports the new 11th gen Intel CPU, you would be right in expecting a bump across the board and for the most part you get it. The CPU that came installed in the model provided was a Core i7-1165G7, that could be overclocked to 4.7GHz, but this was not overclocked, so it remained at solid 2.8GHz, running with it was 16GB of DDR4 ram and a respectable 512GB SSD. In terms of performance, the only real letdown would be considered the Intel Iris X Graphics chip, but when you remember that this is not a gaming laptop, it is easy to accept what is included and the fact that the Iris X chip did power the Full HD IPS panel, without issue was also a nice welcoming addition.

The screen itself was bright enough, without me needing to max it out, though it did have some issues when the level was low and direct sunlight hit it. The colours on the screen were vivid as well, which helped make images and video pop a little more than expected and with a decent contrast setting, it will do you well. The webcam only supports a 720p resolution, which is fine, but there it is easy to see some blur around the edges, especially if you are over-lit, but if you are just using this for zoom calls or such, it will cover you fine.

If you are doing digital calls, there is a chance you might use the internal speakers, which are provided by Bang & Olufsen, who have been in the audio business for almost 100 years, so they know there stuff. The problem is the speakers are located underneath the base of the laptop, which wouldn’t be an issue when you fold it, but when in a laptop form, the sound comes out muffled, with them being directed at a desk or your lap. The quality of them, when not interrupted is great, the speakers are not going to be your always listening setup, but they provide clean and clear audio, as long as you don’t mess with the pre-sets too much.

All of that comes together to provide a decent amount of performance, the fact that with Photoshop installed, I was able to replicate almost everything I could on my desktop, on the little machine, without too much hassle. Couple that with a decent battery life, which in the testing I did and I use that term loosely, I was able to get almost 12 hours from the machine, before it demanded to be charged. Again, with the brightness set at around 80%, I was able to get that level of use, if I had lowered it, or made other changes, I might have been able to get more from it but given that 12 hours of consistent use is pretty massive, I consider it a win. At this, you would be able to enjoy your laptop for a full day of work and travel and not have any issues, which is something other laptops can sometimes struggle to match.

HP haven’t reinvented the laptop in anyway here, but what they have done is built a laptop that makes the most out of the new Intel chips and balanced it with an affordable unit, that can still deliver the goods. This is not going to be a performance or gaming machine and if you are looking for those, look elsewhere, but if you want a balanced laptop that can offer a little bit of everything, with some impressive battery life and the flexibility to allow different setups, the Spectre X360 should be at the top of your list.

The Score

9.5

Review unit provided by HP

The Pros

+Stunning design that keeps things simple whilst giving you choice

+A solid balance between performance and battery life, makes it an all-day device

The Cons

-That annoying half key for up and down is never a good design choice

-Speakers can be muffled, if using it in the laptop layout