It’s a near-perfect laptop for anyone who wants a straightforward, premium 2-in-1 Ultrabook.
This year, it’s somehow better than ever.
Let’s get into it.
The Spectre x360 is back for another year, and it’s better than ever.
Disclaimer:This review was made possible with a review unit provided by HP.
The company did not see the contents of the review before publishing.
Today, that’s no longer the case.
Best Buy gives you the best price, but HP throws in the rechargeable stylus as an added goodie.
Alternatively, it’s possible for you to configure your own model and potentially save even more.
Ports are very limited, though, as HP prioritized a razor-thin design instead.
The iconic cut corners are back, but ports in general are still limited.
Again, HP deserves top marks for the construction and comfort of this laptop, as both are best-in-class.
Add 11 additional portsandenjoy fast pass-through charging with Razer’s premium accessory.
you’re able to read ourRazer USB throw in-C Dock reviewfor more info.
This is another excellent example, part of a new generation of ultrabook panels with dynamic refresh rates.
The Spectre x360 14 does support HDR content, although it was a little finicky to get working.
On top of that, a peak brightness of just 500 nits limits the effectiveness of displaying HDR content.
This display is beautiful, and the 360-degrees hinge makes it great for consuming all kinds of media.
It is IMAX Enhanced, though, if you care about that.
It’s alsoIntel Evocertified, guaranteeing minimum performance, responsiveness, and efficiency.
The synergy between these potent components makes the Spectre x360 14 an absolute joy to use.
The default color profile is plenty color accurate, but there are dedicated sRGB, AdobeRGB, and DCI-P3 profiles for enhanced accuracy.
All of this is in a 2-in-1 laptop less than 17mm thick.
To summarize, though, it’s better than any Ultrabook this thin has a right to be.
If that wasn’t enough, you’re able to actually game on this laptop.
Performance is impressive for a device so thin it can’t have a full-sized USB Type-A port.
It was more than playable I had a great time in CS2 on this laptop.
In actual usage, though, matters are obviously more complicated.
Running aWindows Battery Reportmatched my observations with a 7.5-hour estimation.
Read speeds are blazingly fast, but these write speeds are nothing to laugh at.(Image credit: Windows Central)
That’ll definitely squeeze more life out of this battery.
At least HP’s included charger feels very premium with a lovely braided cable.
As for the touchpad, it’s also top-notch.
In Cinebench, the Spectre x360 14 can even compete with Intel 13th Gen H-series i7s.(Image credit: Windows Central)
The dual-array microphones are also solid.
These speakers can sound quite hollow with music, though, especially at higher volumes.
Finally, wireless performance has been flawless for me.
The Dell XPS 14 just pulls ahead in Cinebench 2024 with its more powerful Core Ultra 7 chipset, but in other tests the Spectre x360 was actually superior.(Image credit: Windows Central)
It works great, and HP has enhanced that experience with its own AI features and options.
Unfortunately, this area is probably where this laptop trips up the most.
It’s annoying and one area HP can improve alot.
In CrossMark, this laptop makes an impressive showing, even besting the latest Razer Blade 14.(Image credit: Windows Central)
Spectre x360 14 review: Competition
In the market for a premium Windows laptop?
It’s a lot more expensive, though, and it’s not a 2-in-1.
For some serious savings, though, I’d recommend theASUS Zenbook 14X OLED (UX3404).
One test where the HP Spectre x360 14 actually performed better than the Dell XPS 14, especially in single-core performance.(Image credit: Windows Central)
It’s also not a 2-in-1, but that OLED touchscreen is glorious.
It’s fast and responsive, but its endurance is just as impressive.
If that isn’t a glowing endorsement, I don’t know what is.
PCMark 10 scores aren’t exemplary, but the Spectre x360 lost less score during the battery version of this test than any other laptop I’ve reviewed.(Image credit: Windows Central)
Display, performance, typing, battery life, you name it this laptop gets it right.
It’s not a gaming champion by any means, but the Spectre x360 14’s Intel Arc graphics actually compare favorably to an NVIDIA GTX 1650 Ti or RTX 3050.(Image credit: Windows Central)
Charging is handled by either of these Type-C ports, although the corner port does keep cables out of the way.
In the PCMark 10 Modern Office battery test at 50% brightness (~150 nits) and default settings, the Spectre x360 14 lasted nearly 12 hours.
I was shocked by how much I loved this keyboard and touchpad.
Good speakers, good webcam, good mics, good biometrics, good stylus, good wireless performance… the Spectre x360 14 just doesn’t miss.
Windows 11 looks and runs great here, but HP can definitely improve its own software.
Not many laptops can favorably compare to this one, but there are a couple options.
If I needed to buy a new laptop right now, the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is the one I would choose.
