A frequent traveler, over the years I have realised that a computer that I can take with me everywhere is my idea of an ideal laptop. While my iPhone 13 mini can perform many tasks on the go, there is a clear distinction between how I view my phone and a laptop. I turn to a laptop for tasks such as writing, editing, watching Netflix, editing photos, and reading ebooks. Until recently, I had been using a larger computer that was not only aging but also difficult to carry on my trips due to its weight. So, I decided it was time to switch to the HP Spectre x360 14 for a few days and see if my experience would be any different using a premium 2-in-1 laptop.
Here is my review.
My review unit costs Rs 1,64,999 and features the Core Ultra 7 155H CPU. It comes with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The notebook features Intel Arc graphics integrated with the Core Ultra processor, and there is no option to upgrade to a discrete GPU.
Incredible design, thin and light
When I saw the HP Spectre x360 for the first time, I couldn’t believe that small laptops still existed. It weighs just 1.3kg and still offers a full laptop experience. My Spectre x360 traveled daily with me to and from work, to cafes, to launch events, and to briefings in the past year. Its compact footprint and lightweight allow me to take this notebook along with my essential gear to big events like the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Pictures don’t do justice until you get the Spectre x360 in your hands; that’s when you can truly appreciate the incredible design and how thin and light it is. The Spectre’s premium look, with its chassis made of CNC-machined aluminum and bold, sharp edges, makes it stand out from other high-end convertible notebooks.
My review unit came in the State Blue colour option, which I found to be tasteful and appreciated by those who have an affinity for classic designs. The laptop feels seamless and instant (almost like modern smartphones) when you open the lid, look at the display, type on the keyboard, and just feel the device in your hand. I can clearly see this laptop is made for someone who is on the go and spends his day between one meeting and another. It’s also noticeably smaller and thinner than many laptops, but to achieve that, HP had to make some compromises, or rather, some significant ones.
The port selection on the Spectre x360 is limited. There are two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports on the right side of the laptop, one of which is located in the back corner of the diagonal. You also find a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB-A port. HP does bundle a USB-C adapter in the box (and unlike Apple, doesn’t charge for it), but I hate to say, I don’t like to carry an extra adapter with me.
That display is beautiful
The new Spectre x360 is easily my new favourite 2-in-1 laptop, but it’s not a tablet replacement—at least for me. The idea of a 2-in-1 notebook is that you can use the device in different ways, and while it works in theory, using it as a tablet is a bad idea. Like any convertible laptop, the Spectre x360 has a 360-degree hinge, which means the laptop’s display can fold back until it converts into a tablet. Although the hinges are quite sturdy and smooth, and the display itself is stylus compatible (the notebook ships with HP’s MPP2.0 pen, which attaches magnetically to the side of the chassis), I felt it was a bit heavy to use the notebook as a tablet. Frankly, my opinion about the iPad Air as the perfect tablet won’t change anytime soon. Having said that, in situations where I don’t have an iPad with me, I wouldn’t mind using the Spectre x360 to take notes.
For me, though, where the Spectre x360 truly shines is its OLED display. The screen is the star of the show. As soon as you open the display and the screen lights up, you can see the difference. And while it doesn’t fundamentally change what the laptop can do, if you are like me, who spends a lot of time on a notebook, it makes a big difference in how you experience movies, content, and games for that matter. The touch-enabled OLED panel with a crisp 2.8K resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio offers high contrast with deep black and bright white levels. Everything looks much brighter and more vibrant. It’s evident how clear texts appear on indianexpress.com, while games and movies look more atmospheric.
The sound on the 14-inch Spectre x14 is not as loud as the sound coming from the HomePod mini, but that shouldn’t surprise you. You’ll get great sound for personal use on a computer or for playing audio in a small room.
Excellent keyboard and trackpad
The keyboard has an excellent set of keys with good key travel. The tactile feel is still there, and so is the responsiveness. I must say the layout is spacious for a notebook as compact as this. The touchpad is roomy. The touchpad’s surface is smooth, and responsive providing plenty of room for using Windows’ excellent multi-touch gestures. It’s a huge size for a 14-inch Windows laptop.
Powerful enough for everyday computing tasks
On an average day, I use my computer more than any other device, more than my iPad and iPhone. After all, a laptop is what I need for writing and editing copies, creative work, and consuming media. As I had mentioned in the beginning, that’s what separates my laptop from any mobile device I use. And because of the Spectre’s lightweight design and smaller footprint, I have more reasons to use it. Not just for things like emails and posting updates on LinkedIn, but for using programmes like ChatGPT, Adobe Firefly, and AI-powered video generators like Sora. I also learn new skills and thus consume a lot of media content, and for that, I need a laptop.
Performance-wise, the HP Spectre x360 was fast and handled our everyday computing needs with ease. Inside is a Core Ultra 7 155H, a brand new family of chips under Intel’s Meteor Lake family, which introduces a new chipset architecture. The notebook can not only handle obvious tasks for which you need a computer but also handle higher-end tasks like modern AI workloads. This is not a laptop most professional photographers or videographers would opt for. But if you are like me, whose work spans between basic and professional—lots of web browsing, editing, and writing, light photo editing with Photoshop—then you will do just fine with the Spectre x360.
Perhaps most noticeable for me has been the Spectre’s battery life. After a very long time, I have seen a Windows notebook manage to last 10 hours (it uses a 4-cell, 68-watt-hour battery) on a single charge, and that too for a device with an OLED display. That means I can take the Spectre x360 on work trips and don’t have to worry about charging it while still working on a plane.
First 9-megapixel laptop webcam
A webcam on a computer is critical to me, and I don’t have to tell you why. At a time when setting up virtual meetings is the norm (and even though the pandemic is past us), any laptop with an underwhelming webcam is not a good sign. Thankfully, the HP Spectre x360 surprised me on that front. Not only does the notebook come with a 9-megapixel webcam, but the camera can also capture 4K video. The image quality is pretty good, much better than any other webcam I have seen on notebooks. My face comes up bright, and colours don’t look muted. With the AI-assisted Windows Studio Effects, I can enable automatic framing to keep your face in the frame and blur the background. It’s like how front-facing cameras on smartphones work.
Should you buy the HP Spectre x360 14?
The 14-inch HP Spectre x360 is an interesting 2-in-1 laptop. It offers incredible performance, an amazing OLED display, long battery life, a top-notch keyboard, and a lightweight design with premium build quality. I think the notebook is better suited for mobile users – anyone who wants a notebook that’s so light and thin that you forget you have it in your bag. Sure, it’s a little expensive but there’s no doubt it’s one of the best premium 2-in-1 Windows laptops out there on the market.
