Unraveling the HP Spectre x360: Intel Evo Powerhouse and Stunning Design

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Design and Build Quality
• Display Quality
• Keyboard and Touchpad
• Performance and Hardware
• Battery Life
• Intel Evo Platform
• Gaming Performance
• Cooling and Thermal Management
• Conclusion

Introduction

Hey guys, how's it going? In this article, I will be providing an in-depth review of the HP Spectre x360, a laptop powered by the 11th generation Intel processors and based on the Intel Evo platform. We will explore what makes this laptop great, how the Intel Evo partnership improves its features, and whether it's worth buying or not. So, let's dive in and answer these questions one by one.

Design and Build Quality

When it comes to design language, HP has always been known for delivering the best. The Spectre series, being the flagship product, lives up to this reputation. The Spectre x360 is a stunning laptop that combines subtlety with premium aesthetics. The CNC machined aluminum body with lustrous trim accents exudes a sense of premiumness. The flat corners house a USB Type-C port on the right side, while the left side features the power button, another Type-C port, a micro SD card slot, a full-sized USB Type-A port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The laptop also comes with a Type-C to HDMI dongle, providing additional connectivity options. One notable feature is the presence of Thunderbolt 4 in both Type-C ports, courtesy of the Intel Evo platform.

Display Quality

The Spectre x360 features a 13.3-inch Full HD WLED panel that supports touch functionality. This display is one of the best I have seen on a laptop in quite some time. With its brightness, amazing colors, and HDR support, watching HDR content on platforms like Netflix is truly an immersive experience. Moreover, the color accuracy of the display makes it suitable for productivity tasks, such as working with Photoshop. The laptop also comes with a stylus, the HP Active Pen, which proves to be handy for browsing and annotating documents.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard on the Spectre x360 is a classic HP island keyboard that stretches to the edges of the laptop. Unlike other laptops of this form factor, where the keyboard can feel cramped, the keyboard on the Spectre x360 is well spaced out. The backlit keys provide excellent visibility, and the key travel offers a satisfying click feedback. However, the touchpad could use some improvements. While it is smooth and supports all Windows gestures, the click feedback is a bit deep and could have been softer.

Performance and Hardware

The Spectre x360 is equipped with the 11th generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor, coupled with 16GB of LPDDR4X RAM clocked at a blazing fast 4266MHz. The GPU department is powered by the all-new Intel Iris Xe Graphics. Storage-wise, it comes with a generous 1TB NVMe SSD. These specifications Translate to excellent real-world performance. The Spectre x360 performs exceptionally well in synthetic benchmarks, with a score of around 4500 in PCMark and 1100 times in 3DMark. This level of performance is rarely seen in ultrabooks, let alone convertibles. The Intel Evo platform ensures sustained performance without any thermal throttling.

Battery Life

One of the highlights of the Intel Evo platform is its focus on providing excellent battery life. The Spectre x360, with its 60-watt-hour battery, offers impressive endurance. In my normal use case, which consists of web browsing, using Spotify, editing images in Photoshop, and watching videos, the laptop lasted over 11 hours on a single charge. Switching to better battery life power profiles can easily yield up to 13 hours of usage. The convenience of charging is also noteworthy, as the laptop can be charged using one of the two Thunderbolt 4 ports with the provided 65-watt charger.

Intel Evo Platform

The Intel Evo platform, an evolution of the Project Athena initiative, sets guidelines for manufacturers to create thin yet powerful laptops. With the Intel Evo certification, the Spectre x360 delivers on its promise of superior battery backup, Instant wake, support for fast charging, and features like Wi-Fi 6 and Thunderbolt 4. The close collaboration between Intel and its partner manufacturers ensures that laptops with the Intel Evo branding outperform their competitors in the same price range. The Spectre x360 is a testament to the success of this platform, offering sustained performance, low thermals, and an unrivaled battery backup.

Gaming Performance

While the Spectre x360 is not primarily designed for gaming, it still proves to be capable of handling lightweight gaming quite well. Titles like Valorant and Rocket League run smoothly at 60 FPS on high settings. Lowering the settings to medium can easily achieve over 100 FPS. Moreover, the Thunderbolt 4 ports on the Spectre x360 offer the flexibility to connect an external GPU and transform the laptop into a desktop gaming machine. With the right setup, playing AAA titles becomes a possibility. The Spectre x360's thermals, courtesy of its dual fan setup, allow for efficient cooling and sustained performance during gaming Sessions.

Cooling and Thermal Management

The Spectre x360 sets itself apart from other convertible laptops by not compromising on performance when transitioning to a slim form factor. The dual fan setup ensures efficient cooling, enabling the Intel Core i7 chipset to maintain its turbo frequency of 4.7GHz for extended periods. Even during gaming, the laptop manages to keep the temperature below 90 degrees Celsius, which is impressive for a device of this size. This superior thermal management is a testament to how the Intel Evo platform maximizes the performance potential of the Spectre x360.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the HP Spectre x360 is a premium laptop that offers an exceptional combination of design, performance, and battery life. The Intel Evo platform further enhances its features, making it a top choice in its price range. With its stunning design, vibrant display, comfortable keyboard, powerful hardware, and efficient cooling, the Spectre x360 delivers an excellent user experience. Whether you need it for work, multimedia, or even light gaming, it consistently performs at the level of flagship devices. If you're in the market for a versatile and high-performing laptop, the HP Spectre x360 is definitely worth considering.

Highlights

• The HP Spectre x360 combines stunning design with premium build quality.
• The 13.3-inch Full HD WLED display offers excellent visual quality, with vibrant colors and HDR support.
• The keyboard provides a comfortable typing experience, while the touchpad could benefit from slight improvements.
• Powered by the 11th generation Intel Core processors and supported by the Intel Evo platform, the Spectre x360 delivers top-notch performance.
• The laptop boasts impressive battery life, supported by fast charging via Thunderbolt 4 ports.
• The Intel Evo platform ensures that laptops like the Spectre x360 offer sustained performance and low thermals.
• The Spectre x360 can handle lightweight gaming with ease and offers the flexibility to connect an external GPU for more intense gaming experiences.
• The dual fan setup of the Spectre x360 provides efficient cooling and helps maintain optimal performance.
• The Spectre x360 is a premium laptop that outperforms its competitors in terms of design, performance, and battery life.
• If you're looking for a versatile and high-performing laptop, the HP Spectre x360 is a reliable choice.

FAQ

Q: Does the HP Spectre x360 come with a stylus?

A: Yes, the HP Spectre x360 comes with the HP Active Pen, which is a stylus that proves to be handy for browsing and annotating documents.

Q: Can the HP Spectre x360 be used for gaming?

A: While the Spectre x360 is not primarily designed for gaming, it can handle lightweight gaming quite well. Titles like Valorant and Rocket League run smoothly, and the Thunderbolt 4 ports allow for the connection of an external GPU for more intensive gaming experiences.

Q: How is the battery life of the HP Spectre x360?

A: The HP Spectre x360 offers impressive battery life, lasting over 11 hours in normal use cases such as web browsing, multimedia consumption, and photo editing. Switching to better battery life power profiles can extend the battery life to around 13 hours.

Q: Is the HP Spectre x360 suitable for professional use?

A: Yes, the HP Spectre x360 with its powerful hardware, vibrant display, comfortable keyboard, and efficient cooling is suitable for various professional tasks such as photo editing, video editing, and productivity applications.

Q: What is the Intel Evo platform?

A: The Intel Evo platform is an evolution of the Project Athena initiative. It provides guidelines for manufacturers to create thin yet powerful laptops with features like excellent battery life, instant wake, fast charging, Wi-Fi 6, and Thunderbolt 4 support. Laptops with the Intel Evo branding outperform their competitors in terms of performance and battery life.