That was a surprising result, and might have something to do with the extensive work HP did to improve the Spectre x360 15’s thermal design. Here, the Spectre almost matched the Envy 15, which scored 436 and 2,593 (487 and 2,830 in Performance mode). In Cinebench 20, the Spectre x360 15 scored 469 in the single-core test, and 2,523 in the multi-core test. The Spectre x360 15 didn’t perform poorly here, but it’s just not quite up to the same standard as other similarly-equipped laptops. Note this utility had virtually no impact on performance on the Spectre x360 15, something I saw in the previous version. The Envy 15 completed the test 21 seconds quicker, and 40 seconds less in Performance mode, using HP’s Command Center utility. Here, the Spectre x360 15 took a little over 2.5 minutes. The same holds in our Handbrake test that converts a 420MB video to H.265. That’s well behind the Envy 15’s 1,274 and 5,542 score, and in fact, most laptops we’ve tested with the same CPU are faster than this HP. Looking at Geekbench 5, the Spectre x360 15 scored 1,237 in single-core tests, and 5,013 in multicore. The Envy 15 is a more direct comparison in terms of its CPU, which is the same as the Spectre’s, but our review unit was equipped with an Nvidia RTX 2060 Max-Q. The XPS 15 did have the same Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti, although the HP uses the Max-Q version. I’d love to compare the Spectre x360 15 directly to the XPS 15, but we reviewed the Dell with a Core i7-10875H, meaning it benefits from two extra cores and four additional threads. Essentially, the Spectre x360 15 is a fast 2-in-1, but it’s not in the same class as today’s fastest 15-inch clamshell laptops. Dell’s XPS 15 and HP’s Envy 15 offer faster CPUs (and GPUs in the case of the Envy 15), more RAM, and more storage. Still, it doesn’t place the same emphasis on creative performance as some other 15-inch laptops. The Spectre x360 15 is another laptop that mentions creative professionals as a target. Wireless connectivity comes through Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. As with previous designs, one of the Thunderbolt 3 ports is located in a corner notch of the chassis, letting you plug in without a cable being in the way. Along the left-hand side, you’ll find a full-size HDMI 2.0 port and a 3.5mm audio jack, and along the right-hand side, you’ll find two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3, a USB-A 3.1 port, and a microSD card reader (although a full-size reader would have been preferable for creative types). The Spectre x360 15 has a competent mix of legacy and modern ports, meaning that dongles are kept to a minimum. Mark Coppock / Digital TrendsĬonnectivity also remains a strength. The hinge is a little stiff, meaning you’ll be using two hands to open it, but it’ll stay in place in whichever mode you choose - clamshell, tent, media, or tablet. The Spectre x360 15 has no flexing, bending, or twisting in the lid, keyboard deck, or chassis. It is crafted from machined aluminum just like before, and HP takes care to ensure it exudes quality. One thing that hasn’t changed is the Spectre x360 15’s build quality. I stress this point to make sure nobody thinks they’re getting a thin-and-light 2-in-1 that’s going to be comfortable to use as a tablet - unless it’s propped up on a surface, that is. Of course, any laptop over four pounds is going to come across as a large laptop. The HP weighs 4.24 pounds, though, which is less than the XPS 15’s 4.5 pounds, and much less than last year’s 4.81 pounds. It is 0.79 inches thick, more than the 2019 model’s 0.75 inches, and it doesn’t match the Dell XPS 15’s 0.71 inches, which feels quite a bit thinner. I love the Spectre x360 15’s size, but it still feels like I’m using a larger laptop. HP says they’ve fit a 15-inch 2-in-1 into the chassis of a 14-inch model, but that seems like a bit of a stretch to me - especially since 14-inch laptops are slimming down, too. While that laptop feels tiny in use, the 15-inch Spectre x360 merely feels smaller. I’ll note the size difference isn’t as striking as with the 13-inch model. It looks far more modern, and it retains the gem-cut aesthetic that makes the Spectre line one of the best looking and most distinctive you’ll find. It also enjoys a 90% screen-to-body ratio, and it’s noticeably smaller than its predecessor. Earlier this year, HP did the same with the 2019 Spectre x360 15, making for a much less unwieldy 15-inch 2-in-1. HP put the Spectre x360 13 under a scalpel in 2019, trimming off the fat and producing a truly diminutive 2-in-1 with a 90% screen-to-body ratio thanks to tiny bezels. HP Spectre x360 13.5 hands-on review: Refinements that matter HP’s new Envy x360 14 looks like a killer value for what you getĪsus ZenBook S 13 Flip vs.
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