Review of HP Spectre x360 15-inch (2017) - a versatile 2-in-1 laptop with stunning design and long battery life.

If you're considering 2-in-1 laptops, HP Spectre x360 is definitely a noteworthy choice. Not only does it meet the demands of a regular laptop, but it can also transform into a tablet to cater to various work and entertainment needs flexibly, easily portable anytime, anywhere.

1. Review of HP Spectre x360 15-inch (2017) - a versatile 2-in-1 laptop with stunning design and long battery life.

If you're interested in 2-in-1 laptops, then HP Spectre x360 is one of the top choices. It not only fulfills the needs of a typical laptop but can also transform into a tablet to serve various work and entertainment needs flexibly, easy to carry around everywhere.

Continuing the success of its predecessor, the HP Spectre x360 (2017) laptop model is introduced by the American computer brand with improvements in design and performance, featuring a large 15-inch screen and a highlight of its 360-degree flip capability. This is a sleek laptop with a quality 4K screen and long battery life. 

This laptop model comes in various versions with prices ranging from 1279 - 1699 USD depending on the configuration (approximately 29.5 – 39 million VND). The version we're reviewing today is priced at 1499 USD (around 34.5 million VND) with the following configuration: Intel Core i7-7500U 2.9GHz CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Nvidia GeForce 940MX 2GB dedicated graphics card. The 1279 USD version (29.5 million VND) features 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD, while the 1699 USD model comes with an increased storage capacity of 1TB. All models feature a 4K screen and come with a stylus pen.

Design
The HP Spectre x360 2017 inherits the beautiful design of the previous version, the entire body is CNC-machined from a single block of aluminum providing a premium and sturdy feel.

The top cover of the laptop is lightly textured similar to the MacBook's shell, offering excellent fingerprint resistance. The new HP logo is embossed in the middle, creating a focal point. This shell is coated in a dark gray coppery hue, creating a distinct difference from the silver color last year and similar products on the market.

The laptop lid has a smooth texture and is resistant to fingerprint smudges, the new HP logo adds a touch of sophistication.

The side edges and front edge of the laptop are flat and gleam with a coppery hue compared to other areas, while the rear edge is curved. With a hinge that can flip 360 degrees, this laptop model can quickly transform into a tablet.

The special hinge allows the screen to flip 360 degrees to transform into a tablet.

Weighing 2kg and measuring 35.5 x 22.6 x 1.78 cm, the Spectre x360 2017 is only about 4mm thicker than the 2016 version. HP claims this thickness allows for a higher capacity battery. Compared to laptops in the same segment, HP's laptop has a size and weight that is average for a 15-inch 2-in-1 laptop. It's larger than the Lenovo Yoga 910 (1.36kg and 32.2 x 22.3 x 1.5 cm), but smaller and lighter than the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1 (2.08 kg, 37.8 x 25.14 x 1.77 cm) and Samsung Notebook 7 Spin (2.26 kg, 35.56 x 25.65 x 2 cm). Essentially, this weight and size are just right for everyday portability.

Connectivity Ports
HP continues the trend of simplifying connectivity ports on premium devices, but overall, the Spectre x360 still meets essential connectivity functions. On the left side of the machine, there's a USB 3.0 port with the ability to charge a phone even when the laptop is in sleep mode (Sleep-and-Charge), a 3.5mm audio jack, and an SD card slot.

Left side of HP Spectre x360 2017

On the right side, there's a USB type C port with data transfer capability, charging for other devices, and laptop charging. Additionally, there's 1 Thunderbolt 3 port and 1 HDMI port. HP claims their fast charging technology can charge the laptop to 50% battery in just half an hour.

Right side

Display
This year's HP Spectre x360 model boasts a larger screen compared to last year's generation. The screen measures 15.6 inches with a 4K resolution and still retains the impressive design of the previous Spectre model. The screen is set within a toughened glass layer that extends to the edges, and the glass is tightly bonded to the display panel, making the images more prominent. The bezels on both sides are also very thin, making the screen appear wider and larger than the 15.6-inch figure on regular laptops.

The screen covers 113.2% of the sRGB color gamut, surpassing the average ratio of 92% for laptops. The Yoga 910 reaches 98%, Notebook 7 Spin (72%), Inspiron (62%).

4K resolution display

Real-world usage shows that the vibrant colors of the Spectre x360 aren't always accurate. This becomes more apparent when measured with specialized tools. The screen has a Delta-E color accuracy score of 3.5 (0 being ideal), higher than the average (2.4) and much higher than Yoga (0.8), Inspiron (0.9), and Notebook 7 Spin (1.8).

In LaptopMag's test, the screen brightness reached 255 nits, slightly lower than the average brightness of laptop models (268 nits), Notebook 7 Spin (260 nits), and Yoga 910 (292 nits).

Keyboard, Touchpad, and Stylus Pen
The keyboard on the Spectre x360 is of the Island type with keys separated from each other, standing out from the surface. The travel distance of each key measures 1.5mm – relatively short but requires a light press, about 50g, making the typing process prone to bottoming out. If the key travel were longer (from 2mm), it might be more suitable. Typing tests on 10fastfingers.com show slightly faster typing speed compared to the Acer E571 laptop but it's clear that the Spectre x360 doesn't provide the same typing comfort.

The laptop features a large touchpad

The touchpad on the Spectre is spacious and responsive. You can browse the web, scroll with two fingers, and arrange windows comfortably. HP claims they put a lot of effort into customizing the keyboard and touchpad on their products. And with the Spectre X360, they have truly succeeded with the touchpad while the keyboard may need further improvement.

Accompanying the laptop is the Active Pen Stylus for more precise operations on the touch screen. This pen supports 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity. There are two buttons on the pen body that can be programmed with HP Pen Control app for right-clicking, taking screenshots, adjusting computer volume, and many other functions. The stylus is slightly thicker than average stylus models and is very comfortable to hold. The Stylus Pen makes writing, drawing, and quick note-taking on the Spectre X360 much more convenient. It's a pity that HP didn't design a pen slot or integrate a magnet into the pen body for easy attachment to the laptop body like Samsung or Microsoft have done.

Included Stylus Pen

Audio and Webcam
HP's collaboration with Bang & Olufsen continues to benefit the Spectre x360. We have four smart speakers on both sides of the keyboard and two speakers on the bottom of the base to deliver optimal sound experience in any mode. Especially when placed in inverted 'V' mode or tablet mode, the machine will unleash its best sound capabilities with powerful quality.

Two top speakers are located on both sides of the keyboard

Playing Justin Timberlake's 'Losing My Way,' the sound can fill up a 15-square-meter room and has a fairly balanced quality between lead vocals, backing vocals, and instruments. If you want thicker and firmer bass or treble, you can adjust it in the Bang & Olufsen Audio Control software to make them smoother.

The HP Spectre x360 features a 1080p resolution camera for decent average quality. Taking some photos in the work area, the colors and displayed objects are quite accurate and clear. However, small, specific details like hair are very difficult to see. Basically, the camera is sufficient to meet the needs of video conferences, video chats, and live streams with not too high demands.

Performance
The HP Spectre x360 2017 version evaluated in the article has specific configuration including: Intel Core i7-7500U 2.9GHz CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, integrated Intel HD Graphics 620, Nvidia GeForce 940MX 2GB discrete graphics card, 15.6-inch 4K display priced at about 34.5 million VND (1,499 USD).

According to Laptopmag's test, the Spectre took 3 minutes and 34 seconds to merge 20,000 names and addresses in the macro spreadsheet of OpenOffice, equivalent to the Yoga model. Slower than the average (4:22), as well as the Notebook 7 Spin (4:03) and Inspiron (4:47).

Opening 30 tabs in Chrome, one of which is streaming YouTube videos in 1080p quality, the machine still shows no signs of slowing down or lagging in operation.

In Geekbench 4 test results, the Spectre x360 scored 8,017, slightly lower than the Lenovo Yoga 910 (Core i7-7500U, 8,102). Both are below the average score of 10,681, but this is not surprising as the i7 U version CPU is still an energy-saving version with limited performance.

Copying 4.97 GB of multimedia files, the machine completed it in just 18 seconds, equivalent to a speed of 282.1 MB/s. This result is faster than the average score (168MB/s), and superior to the Samsung Spin 7 notebook (77.3MB/s), Dell Inspiron (122.6MB/s), and Yoga (195.7MB/s).

A bit of gaming test, using the integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 graphics card, the Spectre ran Dirt 3 at a speed of 29 frames per second, equal to the average of 29fps but still below the stable threshold of 30 frames per second. Even when using the Nvidia GeForce 940MX discrete graphics card, gaming performance didn't improve much. Testing with the game Rise of the Tomb Raider at the lowest graphics settings, the machine only achieved 15.2 frames per second, the game was heavily lagging, making it difficult to play.

Despite the 4K display, the Spectre x360 boasts a pretty good battery life. In this year's version, HP has also focused on improving the battery life for the Spectre X360. Specifically, this computer runs for 8 hours and 36 minutes with continuous web browsing via Wi-Fi. The model from last year with a 1080p screen only ran for 8 hours and 27 minutes. So, this is an impressive improvement, averaging other laptops at 6 hours and 43 minutes, specifically the Inspiron at 6 hours and 55 minutes, the Samsung Spin 7 falling short at 5 hours and 53 minutes, but the Lenovo Yoga 910 excelling with a time of 10 hours and 36 minutes.

Software and Warranty
The HP Spectre x360 2017 comes with a range of software, including some exclusive HP software. HP's Audio Switch makes it easy to switch audio output via HDMI. The Orbit software is one of HP's most useful applications, similar to Lenovo's SHAREit app, allowing for quick file transfers and photo transfers from phone to computer.

The machine is covered by a 1-year warranty, equivalent to most laptops today.

Conclusion
HP Spectre x360 2017 is a model with many advantages, including a sharp 15.6-inch 4K display, fast performance, good battery life, and quality speakers. However, it also has some minor drawbacks such as slightly high temperatures during use and the Nvidia GTX 940MX graphics still being modest.

If you're not concerned about the 4K resolution display and prefer long battery life (10.5 hours), the Lenovo Yoga 910 priced at $1199 is a good choice, but it lacks Thunderbolt 3 ports and SD card slots that the Spectre x360 provides. If price is an important factor, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1 will have the advantage, priced at $750 for a 1080p screen, but it also lacks Thunderbolt 3 ports.

In summary, if you're looking for a 2-in-1 laptop with a 15-inch display, good performance, elegant design, long battery life, and the ability to switch between laptop and tablet modes flexibly, the Spectre X360 is not only one of the best 2-in-1 laptops available today but also HP's best product to date. It's a product you should seriously consider.

Pros:
+ High-quality 4K display
+ Beautiful, elegant design
+ Long battery life
+ Good quality external speakers
+ Fast performance

Cons:
- Gets quite hot during use
- Limited graphics processing capability
- Average keyboard, webcam quality
- Only 1 USB Type B port