Review: Spectre x360 13 2-in1

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

There's been a design renaissance over at HP for the past couple of years.  The company has actually been creating some of the sexiest and slimmest hardware in the PC market. A far cry from the nondescript and cheap devices we remember from years ago.

The new HP Spectre x360 13 is a slim Ultrabook that converts into a folding 2-in-1 and it is quite a remarkable device all around.

This is a silver and chrome Ultrabook, with chiseled edges, sleek etched metal flourishes and great design and functionality.

As a modern Ultrabook, I would say it is second only to Microsoft's Surface Laptop. Surface has no seams or visible screws and integrates leather with aluminum in a premium and lightweight notebook). The only thing holding it back is the display's 1080p resolution as well as the large bezel framing the screen.

The weak point with many Ultrabooks is the display hinge, but the HP Spectre x360's hinge is solid and does a great job.  It goes  back all the way back to turn the device into a tablet. 

In tablet mode, the Spectre X360 is a bit unwieldy. Some may feel strange having the keyboard at the back, but it does fulfill the promise of being a 2-in-1 device.

HP includes a stylus in the box for inking and tablet use. While having this functionality is cool, I'd consider a tablet-first PC if inking will be your main function.

Luxury touches abound with a Bang and Olufsen tuned sound system, fast-charge capability and  HP's TrueVision FHD IR Camera. 

Running Windows 10 on this 2-in1 device is smooth and you can take advantage of most of the exclusive features, including Windows Hello facial recognition for quick and secure sign-in.

The Spectre X360 13 has two USB type C ports, USB 3.0 port as well as a headphone jack, this isn't a lot, but is enough for most students or office workers and is about average for this class of device.

HP has done a great job with this 2-in-1 portable.

The Spectre X360 is both slim and durable, it feels and looks premium and can handle  most consumer-focused tasks without breaking a sweat thanks to the latest Intel Core processors.

The it and finish on this notebooks puts it in the top tier of business class devices that's desirable for its looks as it is for its features.

I like how HP has moved away for the extravagant look of earlier Spectre laptops into a more practical, yet still attractive look and feel that's better geared towards business.

For anyone looking for a convertible Ultrabook with touch screen functionality and some tablet capabilities, the HP Spectre X360 13 hits a lot of sweet spots but might leave something to be desired in terms of battery life.

Rating: 4 out of 5