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Feb 19, 2024 · Pros. +. Beautiful OLED screen. +. Excellent webcam. +. Attractive metal design. +. Comfortable keyboard and touchpad. +. Good speakers. +. Includes pen. Cons. - Expensive. - Limited ports. Why you...
- Freelance Reviewer-Laptops
- Charles Jefferies
Aug 15, 2022 · 4.0. Excellent. By Eric Grevstad. August 15, 2022. (Credit: Molly Flores) The Bottom Line. The Spectre x360, now in a slightly tweaked screen size, isn't cheap, but HP's flagship...
- Contributing Editor
- HP
- The HP Spectre x360 (2021) receives an major update
- HP Spectre x360 (2021): two-minute review
- HP Spectre x360: price and availability
- HP Spectre x360: design
- HP Spectre x360: performance
- HP Spectre x360: battery life
- HP Spectre x360: software and features
- Should you buy an HP Spectre x360 (2021)?
- Buy it if...
- Don't buy it if...
It’s hard to improve on a winning formula but the HP Spectre x360 (2021) has done just that. It raises the bar of what to expect out of these laptops now that it comes with Intel’s Evo certification.
To meet Intel’s standards, HP had to not only improve upon the laptop’s performance but its design and battery life as well. In fact, it lasted almost 13 hours in our PCMark 10 battery life test.
This makes the 2021 refresh of the Spectre x360 one of the best laptops out there right now, building on everything we loved in our HP Spectre x360 (2020) review. Whether you’re concerned about battery life and want something that can hang with Chromebooks and MacBooks during long workdays, need something portable enough to easily take on the go, or want something powerful, the HP will be able to satisfy just about any user outside of hardcore gamers.
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Price and availability
Design
•How much is it? Starting at $1,149 / £1,199 / AU$3,399
•When can you get it? The HP Spectre x360 (2021) is available now
•Where can you get it? The HP Spectre x360 (2021) is available in the US, UK, and Australia
The HP Spectre x360 (2021) is available in a variety of configurations and prices. Prices start at $1,149.99 in the US, for a model with an Intel Core i5 -1135G7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.
In the UK, the base model costs £1,199.99 and comes with an Intel Core i5 -1135G7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.
Then there’s a version with an Intel Core i7 -1165G7 processor, 16GB of R AM and a 512GB SSD, which is the version on review here. It costs $1,349.99/£1,399.99.
•Stunning design
•Good amount of ports
•A better laptop than tablet
With a premium price you expect a premium design, and HP certainly delivers with the HP Spectre x360 (2021). To be honest, we never had any doubt that it would; the previous model was one of the nicest-looking laptops we've had the pleasure of reviewing.
So, it comes as little surprise that the new model is yet another gorgeous laptop from HP. Design-wise, the Spectre x360 is basically identical to the previous model – which is no bad thing, considering how impressed we were with its looks.
The Spectre x360 arrives with a brushed-metal design that's available in several color combinations. The 360-degree hinge, which allows the screen to flip back completely, turning the Spectre x360 into a tablet-like device, feels solid and reliable. The right-hand side is engraved with the word ‘Spectre’ – a nice touch that further cements the Spectre x360’s overall premium feel.
•Upgraded 11th-gen Intel processors
•Not really good for gaming
The biggest upgrade on the HP Spectre x360 (2021) over the previous model are its components and performance, with the laptop being a showcase for Intel’s latest mobile processors.
The review unit we were sent in for review features an Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor. This is a quad-core unit that can achieve boost speeds of up to 4.70GHz, which marks a decent leap over the Intel Core i7-1065G7 (the previous generation CPU) included in last year’s model.
As you can see in our Cinebench and Geekbench results, the new Spectre x360 delivers a lift in performance compared to last year’s model, with a single-core score of 1,317 compared to the previous model’s 1,259. It isn't a huge leap, but it’s an increase nonetheless. The Intel Core i7-1065G7 was a pretty great mobile processor anyway, so it’s good that Intel has built on its solid foundation.
Benchmarks
•Solid, half-day battery life
•Fast Charging capable
•Intel Evo Certified
One of the biggest quality of life improvements Intel is pushing with its Intel Evo platform is long battery life, and the HP Spectre x360 (2021) doesn’t disappoint here. It lasted an excellent 11 hours and 22 minutes in our own battery life test, which loops a 1080p video file at 50% brightness until the battery dies.
The previous HP Spectre x360 also performed well in this test, scoring 10 hours and 55 minutes. Nevertheless, the extra half an hour is welcome, and it means the more powerful components haven’t come at the cost of battery life.
We also ran the intensive PCMark 10 battery life test on the laptop, which replicates day-to-day use such as web browsing and video calling. Here, the Spectre x360 managed almost 13 hours – again, a very impressive achievement and a big leap over the previous model’s four-hour result (on PCMark 8).
The HP Spectre x360 (2021) is premium enough that it isn't overwhelmed by bloatware, and – being a 2-in-1 touchscreen – also comes with an HP Tilt Pen. There is also a physical webcam killswitch, which is something that should be standard on every laptop in 2021, but many still haven't gotten with the program.
Even better, the HP killswitch is a physical shutter over the camera rather than a software webcam deactivation, since in the latter case, malicious actors can reactivated your webcam remotely with a little bit of malware. Software killswitches are really only good enough to let you easily shut off your camera when you need to step away from the meeting, but that's about it.
If you're still seriously considering the HP Spectre x360 (2021), we can safely say you're almost certainly not going to be disappointed, but even though it's one of the best 2-in-1 laptops you're going to find anywhere, it's not going to be the right fit for everybody.
You want a stylish laptop
The HP Spectre x360 really does look and feel premium, sporting one of the best designs we’ve seen in a laptop.
You want a powerful laptop for day-to-day use
The new 11th-generation mobile CPU from Intel means Windows 10 runs extremely well, and the laptop is even capable of a bit of light gaming.
You’re after all-day battery life
The battery life of the HP Spectre x360 is excellent; it will easily last you a full work or school day. Even on long transatlantic flights (remember those?), this laptop should last the journey.
You just want a tablet
The Spectre x360 can double as a tablet-like device, but it’s bigger, bulkier and more expensive. If you just want a tablet, there are better options out there.
You want a silent laptop
The fans of the Spectre x360 kick in a little bit too readily, which means this is a laptop that can get noisy in use. The new MacBook Air, with its fanless design, shows how it’s done.
You’re on a budget
This laptop with a premium design and premium features also comes with a premium price tag.
- matthew.hanson@futurenet.com
- HP
- Managing Editor, Core Tech
Sep 23, 2022 · Reviews. By Andrew Hayward. last updated 23 September 2022. Comments (0) (Image: © Tom's Guide) Tom's Guide Verdict. HP’s latest 13.5-inch edition of the convertible Spectre x360 is an...
Oct 6, 2022 · Reviews. By Allisa James. published 6 October 2022. (Image: © Future) TechRadar Verdict. Though the HP Spectre x360 gives a sense of luxury far past its 2-in-1 moniker, with its stunning...
- Computing Staff Writer
- allisa.james@futurenet.com
Apr 1, 2024 · Review: HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) HP’s latest 2-in-1 Windows laptop is one of the best I’ve ever tested. Photograph: HP. Rating: 9 /10. WIRED. Outstanding performance. Best battery life...
Oct 28, 2020 · Pros. Luxurious design. Stunning AMOLED 4K/UHD touch screen. Powerful six-core Intel CPU and Nvidia graphics as tested. Quality speakers. Comfortable keyboard and touchpad. Cons. Middling battery...
