HP Spectre x360 | The best business class laptop?

The HP Spectre x360 (2021) is HP’s next-level product. With last year’s model of the HP Spectre x360, the company married portability with the awesome power to create one of the best devices we’ve come across. The new model appears to continue that trend with the inclusion of the highly-coveted Intel Evo certification.

The HP Spectre x360 (2021) also features an Intel 11th-gen processor for increased performance. The x360 is a significant step forward in laptop design by complying with Intel’s Evo certification requirements. It’s an elegantly designed and portable machine that has ‘flagship” written all over it.

The HP Spectre x360 (2021) is a powerful machine due to its internal components and a beautiful one. The model 2021 is expected to be a worthy successor to its predecessor. It can boot up quickly, and it can handle casual gaming. However, you will need to adjust the settings depending on what game you are playing.

Its battery life is one of its most impressive features. The HP Spectre x360 (2021), subject to a rigorous PCMark 10 battery test, almost reached the 13-hour mark. In our testing, the HP Spectre x360 (2021) was able to last a whole day on one charge. The Spectre shows that a Windows 10 laptop can compete with MacBooks and Chromebooks in battery life.

The only problem is that the HP Spectre x360 2021 transforms from a sleek and stylish laptop to a tablet-like tablet thanks to its 360-degree hinges. Although the option is great, we recommend that you choose a tablet-like device like the Surface Pro 7 and iPad. These tablets are slim, light, and can be used with keyboards.

The fans can also be quite loud when you use the laptop. Sometimes, they even get louder when you aren’t. We heard the fans kick a few times even though the HP Spectre x360 2021 was closed. It is the only area of the HP Spectre x360 2021 that does not feel premium.

Apart from these issues, the laptop is extremely capable and great for everyday use, including work. However, it’s pricey with starting prices of $1,349/PS1,199/AU$3,339 (various markets have different starting configurations). You won’t be disappointed if you have the money.

Prices and availability

There are many configurations and pricing options for the HP Spectre x360 (2021). For a model with an Intel Core i5 -1135G7 CPU, 8GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD, prices start at $1149.99 US.

The base model in the UK costs PS1,199.99. It comes with an Intel Core i5 -1135G7 CPU, 8GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD.

There’s also a version with an Intel Core i7 -1165G7 CPU, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD. This is the one we are reviewing. It costs $1,349.99/PS1,399.99. A model with the same CPU, RAM, and 4K OLED screen is also available for PS1,699.99.

The HP Spectre x360 2021 also comes in three screen sizes:

The 13-inch version (the one we are testing).
The 15-inch version.
The 13.5 inch (which has a higher 16:10 aspect ratio).

The 13-inch model comes with an Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD. It is available in Australia for AU$3,399. You can also get it with the Core i7, 16GB RAM, and a 4K OLED display. A 2TB SSD is available for AU$4,599.

There are many configurations, just like the models in the UK or US. As you can see, there are many options for anyone looking for a new HP Spectre x360 – although we hesitate to say that there is a model for everyone. The base models are more expensive than many other laptops. This laptop is very expensive and must be able to perform well to justify its high cost.

Design

You expect a premium product with a premium design. The HP Spectre x360 (2021) is a premium product. We were not surprised that it would be; the previous model was among the most beautiful laptops we have ever seen.

It’s no surprise then that this new model is another stunning laptop from HP. The design of the HP Spectre x360 2021 is almost identical to the original model. This is no surprise considering how impressed with its appearance.

The HP Spectre x360 (2021) comes in a brushed metal design, is available in several colors. The hinge 360 degrees allows the screen to turn back completely. This transforms the HP Spectre x360 2021 into a tablet-like device. It feels sturdy and reliable.

The word Spectre is engraved on the right-hand side of the HP Spectre x360 2021, which adds to its premium feel. You get an audio-in Jack and full-size USB ports on the right. This is a great addition to a small and lightweight laptop. There are also two USB-C ports and a microSD port.

This allows you to disable the webcam when not in use. It’s great for privacy-conscious people. This is a major selling point. It, along with the full-sized USB port and microSD slots, shows that a thin laptop can include multiple connections without compromising design.

It’s certainly a step above the two USB-C ports on the MacBook Air (M1,2020) and MacBook Pro 13″ (M1,2020). The HP Spectre x360 (2021), with its bright screen and thin bezels, is available to you. The result is a sleek, modern design that keeps the device small.

This is another example of a Windows 10 laptop that looks more stylish than an Apple MacBook. Both HP and Intel will be happy to know this, which is another reason Apple should consider updating its MacBook designs.

The keyboard is large and easy to use. You can also use them in darkness because they are backlit. The touchpad feels responsive and nice. The touchpad is wider than what you would expect for a 13-inch laptop. This gives you more space to move your fingers. The touchpad also has a fingerprint scanner that can be used to log in to Windows 10.

The company found a way to fit a large trackpad and keyboard into a small package, similar to HP’s port provision. This is a remarkable design feat that makes the HP Spectre x360 2021 feel great to use.

The large touchscreen works well by flipping the screen back. The HP Spectre x360 2021 feels bulky and heavy, despite being a slim and lightweight laptop. Although it’s nice to use the laptop this way, it isn’t a replacement for a tablet. The HP Spectre x360 2021 is a far better laptop.

Performance

The HP Spectre x360 2021 is a significant upgrade to the previous model. Its components and performance are the most important. This laptop also showcases Intel’s latest mobile processors.

We were sent a review unit with an Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU to review. This quad-core unit can reach boost speeds up to 4.70GHz, which significantly improves over last year’s model.

The new HP Spectre x360 (2021), as you can see from our Cinebench or Geekbench results, delivers a boost in performance compared with last year’s model.

It has a single-core score of 1,317 compared with the previous model’s 1,259. Although it isn’t a large leap, it is an increase. It was already a great mobile processor, so it’s great that Intel has continued to build on this solid foundation.

The new CPU and 16GB RAM make the HP Spectre x360 2021 a fast, responsive computer. The HP Spectre x360 2021’s performance was not affected by multitasking. There were many Edge tabs open, and multiple apps open simultaneously.

The HP Spectre x360 (2021), designed for everyday use, delivers the kind of performance you would expect from a premium laptop at this cost. You won’t be disappointed.

The inclusion of Intel Iris Xe graphics is one of the most significant upgrades that will be made to the new Tiger Lake CPUs, such as the Intel Core i7-1165G7. This integrated GPU promises to deliver a vastly improved performance than previous integrated graphics and may even be comparable to discrete GPUs.

While the HP Spectre x360 (2021) certainly isn’t a gaming laptop, it could feasibly run some PC games that other thin and light laptops would struggle to run. Although Cyberpunk 2077 isn’t listed, Intel claims it can play GTA 5 at 60fps at full graphical settings. Esports such as Rocket League and League of Legends require faster performance but are less graphically demanding.

We tried to play a few games with the HP Spectre x360 (211). We’ve already mentioned that this laptop is not a gaming one, but we wanted it to be possible to play some games at the end of the day, after a long day at work.

The answer is kind of—total War: Three Kingdoms achieved only 30fps at low settings. Anything more difficult was impossible to play. Ori and the Will of the Wisps were also launched. This visually stunning platform game is much easier than many modern games.

To achieve smooth gameplay, we had to lower the graphical settings and reduce the resolution. It was possible to play games like Ori and the Will of the Wisps. However, this required big sacrifices in terms of graphical fidelity. Don’t lose your day job, HP Spectre x360 2021

It is important to remember that the HP Spectre x360 (2021) will kick in even when low-powered tasks such as downloading apps. It’s understandable because this ultra-thin laptop needs to keep its components cool. It was annoying and in stark contrast to the quiet operation of the MacBook Air M1, 2020, which has no fan.

Battery life

The HP Spectre x360 (2021), one of the most important quality-of-life improvements Intel has made with its Intel Evo platform, is known for its long battery life. The battery test showed that it lasted for an impressive 11 hours and 22 mins. It looped a 1080p video file at 50% brightness until the battery died.

This test was also successful for the previous HP Spectre x360, which scored 10 hours and 55 mins. The extra time is still welcome and means that the increased power has not compromised the battery life.

The intensive PCMark 10 battery test was also performed on the laptop. This simulates daily use like web browsing and video calling. The HP Spectre x360 (2021) managed to complete the test in almost 13 hours. This is a huge improvement over the previous model’s 4-hour PCMark 8 result.

The HP Spectre x360 2021 battery is balanced and can last in light and medium use cases. This laptop will easily last a whole day of work. It is a great choice for business users looking for a device with outstanding performance and stunning looks that won’t require any plugging until they return to work.