HP Spectre x360 2 in 1 Laptop PC 16-f2001sa | Intel Evo |

Got this laptop about two months ago since my old laptop started giving battery and resolution issues. I decided HP Spectre x360 laptop since I heard good reviews about it and needed something powerful and packed with features. The laptop has a powerful Intel Core i7-1065G7 CPU, Iris Plus integrated graphics and 16 GB RAM.

The laptop is really gorgeously designed with an incredibly svelte chassis and also comes with a beautiful 4K AMOLED touchscreen. The brushed metal finish means the whole laptop feels premium and robust, with a 360-degree hinge that enables it to swap between laptop and tablet modes. Of course, all that shine comes with a price tag. The laptop is almost 1,600 which is a large sum to pay for a laptop, almost comparable to Apple laptops, but we’ll get more into that later. It’s also worth noting that the Spectre x360 comes with HP’s Tilt Pen, a decent smart stylus. I don’t use the stylus much so can’t comment on its functionality and usability. The keyboard has a backlit in white with large keys despite the compact design which is great. The laptop has two Thunderbolt 3 enabled USB-C ports and a single USB-A port, a headphone jack and microSD card reader. The HP Spectre charges via USB-C, leaving you with one less port if you want to use it plugged in. Speakers are of the Bang and Olufsen range which means that Spotify music is loud and I rarely need to attach an external speaker.

Now come to the issues. The HP Spectre runs pretty hot, particularly if you’re using it for demanding tasks such as 3D rendering or 4K video editing. The cooling is handled by two small fans that sit together on the base of the laptop, and while they do run quietly (unless you’re thrashing the CPU with demanding software), they’re not particularly powerful. The heat is never to a concerning degree but perhaps to an uncomfortable one if it’s actually sitting on your lap. This is no gaming machine either; the lack of a proper graphics card means that the latest big games will be beyond your reach. However, the Iris Plus graphics can handle more than you might expect at lower resolutions – perfect for puzzle games, or low-poly indie titles. The other thing is the battery: it’s not bad but not great either. Standard use will see it last most of the day, around 10 -12 hours, without needing to charge, although intense usage can push it down to as low as 4 hours. Although the battery does charge quite fast thanks to the USB-C connector.

To sum this up, buy this laptop if you want lightweight performance, flexibility and security. The laptop has face and fingerprint recognition to access the laptop which is a great feature. But if you are looking for powerful rendering and gaming power or if you are on a budget, it’s better to look elsewhere.