Thank you very much for doing this review! I was just looking into this ultrabook and your reviews are always the first I go to. You definitely have the most complete and unbiased reviews on RUclips!
I just bought one of these, refurbished, as a supplemental BYOD machine. I really like the layout and style, but it got very over-heated when I had it on my lap on a leather binder trying to BitLocker encrypt the drive! Most of the venting is out of the bottom, and the binder wasn't rigid enough to keep the air flowing. I tried a piece of rugged cardboard, but that didn't work, either. Finally, I put it on an aluminum laptop stand with lots of venting underneath it, and it was able to complete the encryption process. I would gripe if I had paid the original $1,399 for the Core i7-5600U, 8 GB, 512GB SSD, but I got it at MicroCenter for $550 in August 2018. I will be doing mostly Office, slide presentations, video watching, and some light coding or security assessment work on this. I have a gaming beast that weighs as much as a small baby, and it is a pain to try to carry through airports and use on a plane. I'm hoping this will fill the bill for Office work on Windows.
Lisa, great review as always. I have both the i7 HD and QHD model and can confirm that the HP Active Pen does work with both models. Not as good as the NTrig or Wacom but not bad for an ultrabook.
Holy Guacamole! I feel terrible that I missed that, but HP told me it had no active pen support (that teaches me to not test it regardless). So thanks for nudging me in the right direction. I just whipped out my HP Active Pen and it works like a champ, making this an even more versatile machine. I'll do a separate video on the pen.
MobileTechReview Great - anxious to see what you think of the pen. I just bought the new MacBook Pro 13 i7 500GB 16GB and have both of the HP Spectre x360 HD and QHD. Trying to decide which one to keep! Leaning towards the MBP for all of the reasons you referenced in your latest review and it's a beast. Also wondering how important a touch display will be once Windows 10 is released. Would love to get your POV on that.
***** Windows 10 makes life without a touch screen more tolerable, but it's still more enjoyable with a touch screen, so I don't see touch going away. But if you're running Mac OS X, there's no touch support, so it's not terribly important unless you're running Windows 8 or 10 with some frequency on the MacBook Pro.
MobileTechReview ***** You guys are awesome! I'm really looking forward to the video about the pen! I've seen on a video on RUclips (I forget which one) but the user stated that you have to push a little harder than usual to get the HP Active Pen to work. Would be a great feature to add on the next video!
NICE! I ordered one earlier today... Naturally, Google and friends knew that so this video came up in my side bar. Glad it got such a great review, even more excited for it to show up.. Thanks!!!
Lisa, you're the best! Yet another fantastic in-depth review of a laptop I've been curious about. After watching this review, I've decided to buy one (I've bought quite a few things now based on your reviews - you never disappoint).
MobileTechReview No, thank you! I didn't tell you why I watched your review in the first place. I've been shopping for an ultrabook for my wife, and had read some good things about the HP Spectre. I found your review, saw it, and later showed it to the wife, too. In the end, it is what helped us to settle on this model. I use an HP Folio, but you helped convince me that the Spectre is so much better. We'll be buying one very soon. Again, thanks for helping us make this decision!
Thank you for another excellent review! I bought this last weekend and I love it! I play WOW on it without any lag. I think that anyone can tell that HP took their time to get the Sceptre x360 just right! I also think it is one of the first laptops that I have had that the power cord was so long. Thanks Lisa! You never disappoint with your reviews! I always watch your reviews!
I am deciding between dell xps 13 and a macbook pro, but this is another competitor....I really don' t know wich one to buy. As always perfect review Lisa, thank you very very much from Argentina. I am a huge fan of you and your videos.
I bought an xps 13 2014 model, returned within a week, needed a little more power in the GPU dep. So I got the xps15 with the gtx750m in it, it was fast and all, but bringing it to and from school was ridiculous, way too big! Then... I got a mid-2014 retina MacBook pro 13 inch. It was in between. The xps 13 and 15 in terms of power, but the GPU was much better than the xps 13's. I have never looked back since getting the Mac. Since I bought my Mac on Feb 12 this year, apple let me return it and get the 2015 model 13 inch retina MacBook pro for free! You definitely gain a lot in the customer service department compared to dell(dells cs is a nightmare) and... While I didn't like Mac os at first, I grew to like it a lot, actually, I like it a lot more than windows, no constant updates, no driver issues, just a no issue experience, and the Mac speakers sound great, especially with the "boom 2" eq software on it. Trust me on this guys. The Mac is the best way to go. Oh... BTW when I got the xps 13 with touch and the i7, the battery life was around 7hrs, on the xps 15 I got around 6-7hrs, and on the Mac I constantly get 11-12hrs. So if you need battery, get a mac. And... Hold on, don't buy the xps 15, cannot recommend it whatsoever, the speakers are bad, really bad, and I had to get my first xps15 replaced because of dead and stuck pixels, and when I got my replacement... It had dust under the screen, so the build quality is not up to par, especially compared to the Mac or even the xps 13(from the same company, weird...) All in all. The Mac is a nor frill computer with more power than any windows ultrabook in its price range.. Look up benchmarks for the i7 5500u vs an i5 5287u, the i5 wins, thats the mid spec processor for the Mac... Happy shopping and good luck!
haha same i am considering between the Dell XPS 13 and this. If only the HP Spectre x360 had the 'Infinity Display'. But then again, I really cannot figure out which is better
AndRootPro I completely agree with you on the Mac, i'm a relatively new user. But, i'm on my 3rd (and definitely not exchanging again) Pro 13 (Broadwell) and every one of the displays has had an annoyingly uneven color cast. The first two had it along the bottom half, and the present one has the very subtle yellowish band just to the right of center (only now it's vertical). If I calibrate the screen to be extremely cool, then this band turns to greenish instead of yellowish, but it always alters lighter shades rendered in this region and makes them darker and less contrasty than the rest of the screen. Can you objectively say yours has even color distribution? I'm just curious. I'm still within my 14 day period, but i'm debating going to Apple and asking for their opinion on screen replacement. I love the notebook otherwise, and like you i've been getting very long battery life. I previously had the mid-2014 Macbook Pro 13 and the screen was absolutely beautiful. I've really been trying to ignore the problem, but *every single time* I use it, my eye goes right to this part of the screen and I want to wipe it.
Went into Best Buy to pick up a Lenovo yoga pro 2 or 3 (hadn't decided) started playing around with them and decided to go for the yoga. Then this caught my eye, i hadn't even realized that it was a HP. Started playing around with it, noticed the very nice display and the very solid build. The checked the inputs, the full size hdmi really sold me (but was not the only factor). I've had it for 3 days and absolutely love it.
This is just great. Thank you so much for being the first and still the only good review of this laptop. I bought this laptop and have had it for 3 days now and love it. I also bought the dell active pen and it has worked great so far. I would highly recommend this. Thanks so much for being an honest reviewer who I can always count on.
I bought an HP Pavilion x360 13 with the core i3 processor and I'm still not satisfied with an i3 for gaming and school purposes. So I sold my Pavilion x360 13 and ordered an HP Spectre x360. So excited to get it. Thanks for your review though :D
Hi Lisa, great review! Do you think that a 4GB RAM model would be sufficient for everyday use? Just web-browsing, the occasional video, word and excel processing and no gaming? I've found a good deal with a QHD screen, i5 processor and 256GB SSD, the only let-down is the 4GB RAM. I'm just divided about whether I should go for an 8GB RAM model or get the better deal.
I would say it depends on how long you are going to use the laptop. The ram is soldered on so you can't upgrade to 8gb. For everyday use, 4gb is enough, but maybe not in 4 years or something.
Hello, Lisa! Thank you as always for your terrific review! After listening to some of your other reviews and reading a variety of reviews of the Spectre x360, I decided to purchase it. Your review definitely reinforces my decision. I did have two admittedly very minor quibbles with my system, and I wondered if you had experienced anything similar. I noticed that on the trackpad for my system, which is excellent overall, there is a very slight noise while tapping-not clicking, but just tapping. I realize this may be a feature rather than a bug, so I'm curious if your experience was the same. Second, I noticed that in a very quiet room, with the system's fan not running, and with the computer doing low- to moderate-intensity tasks, there was a slight coil noise. (Commencing a more CPU-intense task, even just rapid webpage scrolling, made the noise disappear.) With no offense to anybody's age or hearing abilities, this may simply be a perfect storm my own auditory acuity, the ability of young ears to hear high frequencies, and my peculiar sense of perfectionism. I know that this was an issue on previous versions of the Dell XPS 13, but I also realize that coil noise tends to diminish over time, and that hearing it at all indicates just how quiet the remainder of the system components are. If these things are typical of the system or of ultrabooks in general, then I'll be more than happy to get over these nitpicky details for such an incredible system. On the other hand, if they are unique to my particular unit, I'd want to try out a different one before that magical return period expires. Thanks again, and keep up the great work! MobileTechReview
I have heard, just a few times, when it's plugged into power a sort of tick-tick-tick sound that's sort of like coil whine but different and shorter in duration. I have no idea what it is, but I believe it's something all x360s do. Trackpads do tend to make a little noise when you tap since the glass surface moves a little when you tap.
Lisa...fantastic review. Not only these, but seemingly every single one that you do (I have been binging on a series of them after discovering the 1st). A really nice blend of technicals, anecdotes and real work testing. Based on this review, I am going fwd with the HP purchase...and looking to buy the Dell pen.
Stunning! I'm so happy with how the market is going! I'm a mobile gamer! But But I love to have these ultra book tablet pc to run around with! Can you imagine what they will come up with 3 years down the road!!
I bought one of these a few weeks ago for college. It's a great small laptop that is super portable for school. I have a few complaints about it. 1. The trackpad without seperate left- click and right - click keys can be very frustrating. 2. The keyboard light key stays lit at all times and there is no way to disable it. When you watch Netflix videos in laptop mode this gets very old, very quickly. 3. This thing gets super HOT. I highly recommend making sure that the vents are uncovered at all times. I've had the system shut down completely from overheating.
with those specs: Dell = $1099 (still non-touch). You have to get the $1200 model to get touch. HP = $999 (with touch) Dell is going to have better battery life and the HP is going to give you more versatility at a lower price. Depends on your needs really.
Lisa, I noticed on HP's site that most of the models have "8gb onboard ram," but I noticed for the two 1080p models, it says "8 GB DDR3L SDRAM (1 x 8 GB)." Is this what I think it means? Which is ONBOARD equals soldered, while the 1080p models are sticks which can be removed, replaced, etc. It says 1x8gb, so I'm assuming, it may have a 2nd slot and can take 16gb total?
Hi Lisa, great review, my only concern is about the hinge, do you think they'll get tired with time or use? you said that the Spectre is your daily laptop have you notice any change on that matter? , thanks...
Just a follow up: Received mine and have already returned it. Multiple OS crashes, then black screen errors (system fan not working) and eventually (no boot disk detected). Still want to give it another try, so hopefully mine was just a lemon and the replacement works better!
This looks like it does everything for a decent price. Backlit keyboard, full HD touchscreen decent performance with Core i-5 and good battery life for under $1000. Could be thinner and lighter though. Well over 3 lbs is kinda hefty.
Your videos convinced me to buy this, and it's the best device I've ever owned. I actually have pretty slow wifi at my house, but this laptop makes it fast. On my old computer, I couldnt watch 1080p videos without it stopping or lagging, but now I can watch them just fine. The battery life is amazing. Even when I have it on full brightness, with backlit keyboard turned on, I get around 5 hours browsing and watching videos. My only gripe is the fact that the touchpad is like 75% left click, 25% right click. Why not 50/50??
Hey Lisa, MobileTechReview now that the ThinkPad Yoga 15 is out are you considering doing a review or are you going to wait for the Thinkpad Yoga 14? And maybe a smack down with the MacBook Pro 15 inch would be interesting don't you think so?
Would you reccomend this for video editing inside of Premiere Pro CC? I'm a bit concerned with the lack of a dedicated CPU and I'm not familiar with Intel Iris graphics. I won't be doing any exporting on the machine, just editing projects back and forth to my main Desktop editing PC.
I wish when people gives reviews on a laptop they would explain more about how it works and how to do things on it instead of spending so much time on telling about how it looks, how the edges are rounded and the finish etc etc etc.... I bought the hp spectra and my bad luck had to return it for it was a faulty one but I need to know how to use it better, need to know the do,s and don'ts, what certain settings mean and how to basically operated the laptop.
Rahul Gerrard first you get to customize your own machine witch is not offered by DELL , secondly that premium look blew me away, not to mention the 360 movement.It was a tough call, but with a 1200$ budget u get better specs from HP
***** lol I have exactly 1200 to spare too mate. But I could customise on the dell website . the i5 8gb ram and 256 costs 1099 at dell and 999 at HP. Either way you can't really go wrong with either of them. Let me know how your experience using it was. Good luck mate !
Rahul Gerrard ( Either way you can't really go wrong with either of them) exactly, both are excellent choices..I'll receive my laptop after two weeks as it's not ready made...... well good luck finding the right one for you
I wonder if you could possibly comment on how loud the fan is on this device. I've seen some of the reviews comment on it running a bit warm and spooling up the fan with some regularity.
Could anyone help me with this problem I have with the track pad on this laptop? I got a Spectre x360 a few days ago and for the first day the track pad behaved normally. But the next day when I turned the laptop back on I could not press click all over the track pad, just in the very bottom left and the very bottom right. I could still tap everywhere, but not press like I used to. I have looked in the mouse settings and on the synaptics specialized setting but have not found any solutions.
Thank you for this review it was a tough decision between the dell xps and the hp spectre but went for the spectre. Picked it up today. Great reviews for both. I learned alot
I saw on multiple forums and posts that there was an annoying problem with the trackpad. Apparently the trackpad is too big for precise tap-to-click or right click registration. Is this fixed, or is it still a problem? Or does this depend on personal operational preferences?
hey is it possible to play content on spectre by connecting it to tv? In connections its detected and says connected to my tv but yet to figure how to play the content.. would highly appreciate your expertise please. Tx
Hey Lisa, First of all you're awesome. Secondly I really need your help. I am so torn between a yoga 3 pro and the hp specter x360. I just want something for when I am on the road for work or just laying on the couch. Browsing, streaming, email, and some super light gaming. When I say super light I mean the 7 or 8 times a year I am on the road maybe playing League of Legends on very low res, or Starcraft 2, again on very low res. Most of the time I will be on the couch with it. I have spent a day comparing, etc. Which did you find felt better in tablet mode? My main thing is I want a convertible (had a macbook air with 8.1 on it) but really wanted the touch. Thanks so much!
MobileTechReview How does the spectre X360 function in presentation or tent mode ? apart from the keyboard being deactivated? Can you still use the usb ports (say with a midi controller) ?
help pls. just bought one 2 days ago. turned it on once, installed my anti virus webroot and some apps. i opened it again tonight and the screen is only black :( u can see the mouse pointer though :(
Great review. I was all set to buy this then they came out with a new 4K 15.6" model! Are you likely to review that one anytime soon? I'd love to hear your take on it before jumping in!
I know you touch on this a little bit throughout the video comparing it to the Lenovo yogas, but specifically what do you think of this vs. the lenovo thinkpad yoga or even more specifically the new 2015 model with the 5th gen processor?
Which is the best "Yoga" in your opinion? HP Spectre x360 vs. Inspiron 13 7000 vs. Lenovo Yoga 3. I'm trying to be an adult by focusing on function over form. From a brand perspective I've had trouble with HP and Lenovo - though they look better.
very nice review lisa :) I'm planning on getting this laptop as a high school student but I've heard that there was some wi-fi and freezing issues did you have any problems as such ?
I've had some issues with it freezing with the touchscreen but it's literally for a second or two. Also it's not often but I have noticed it. And no wifi issues!
I would like to see your opinion in a smackdown Spectre x360 vs. Zenbook UX305 I'm looking for a new laptop/ultrabook or 2in1. Which one is best value for money.
If you're on a tight budget get the UX305. If you want more horsepower that's better for a main machine and the pen and convertible capabilities, get the Spectre x360.
great reviews , I am confused between HP x360 (6gen) or the HP envy 13 2015 (newly launched) really appreciate ur insight on helping me buy either of them, thanks cheers .
Anyone having overheating issues with this? Almost all other review sites and Amazon reviews are crying about heat issues....My iPad Pro is being returned and my search goes on.
Hi, are there any reviews on the HP envy 13(2015)? Been trying to find on the net but not as extensive as that of the Dell XPS13. Btw, great review like always
Great review! I wanna buy a second laptop (home usage) mainly Web browsing/Streaming HD video/Storing music and videos on the laptop. Do you think this is a good option? I don't really like tablets and would prefer a device with an attached keyboard.
Hi Lisa. Could you tell please how noisy it is? I just bought it because my current laptop is like a washing machine, and I hope this one will be quiet. Also how hot does it get? Thanks very much in advance.
Hi Lisa, thanks for the review, I'm just wondering about the sleeves with magnetic closure as this laptop arrives with one. It sticks to the laptop body even when the laptop is switched off. And when it's on the laptop goes on standby upon interaction with the magnetic closure. Wanted to know your thoughts on that. Is it normal and of any harm to the laptop itself. Thanks
Hey Lisa, I'm trying to decide between the $999 HP Spectre x360 and the ASUS Zenbook UX303ln for a college laptop with a little bit of gaming. I know the zenbook is obviously the better choice for gaming but I'm turned off by the reports of broken hinges and horrible looking yellows. Which do you think would be the better choice?
How do you compare it to the Yoga 3 pro when it comes to specs and picture ect?How limited are you with the computers specs, i mean to ask if you throw away att possibilities of gaming when you chose a more flecible laptop like this one?
MobileTechReview what kind of program do you use for calibration? I am planning to get this device for photo editing in Lightroom and I need minimum colour difference.
Love your reviews the x360 seems just awesome but then started wondering maybe the Apple® - MacBook Pro with Retina display - 13.3" Display - 8GB Memory - 128GB Flash Storage - Silver which is on sale at the same price is a better laptop? Please help or perhaps a smack down thank you
I got the spectre x360 and had screen freezing issues where I had to manually restart it to unfreeze the screen or the screen would turn black and the computer would restart itself automatically. I traded it in for another model and the issues persisted. The computer also got really hot, hotter than what I thought would be acceptable. Are these normal issues for this computer or did I just happen to get two duds?
mine is still working great 6 years later
watching this on my 2024 spectre
Thank you very much for doing this review! I was just looking into this ultrabook and your reviews are always the first I go to. You definitely have the most complete and unbiased reviews on RUclips!
HP did a great job with the design, features, and pricing this time around.
I just bought one of these, refurbished, as a supplemental BYOD machine. I really like the layout and style, but it got very over-heated when I had it on my lap on a leather binder trying to BitLocker encrypt the drive! Most of the venting is out of the bottom, and the binder wasn't rigid enough to keep the air flowing. I tried a piece of rugged cardboard, but that didn't work, either. Finally, I put it on an aluminum laptop stand with lots of venting underneath it, and it was able to complete the encryption process. I would gripe if I had paid the original $1,399 for the Core i7-5600U, 8 GB, 512GB SSD, but I got it at MicroCenter for $550 in August 2018. I will be doing mostly Office, slide presentations, video watching, and some light coding or security assessment work on this. I have a gaming beast that weighs as much as a small baby, and it is a pain to try to carry through airports and use on a plane. I'm hoping this will fill the bill for Office work on Windows.
Lisa, great review as always. I have both the i7 HD and QHD model and can confirm that the HP Active Pen does work with both models. Not as good as the NTrig or Wacom but not bad for an ultrabook.
Holy Guacamole! I feel terrible that I missed that, but HP told me it had no active pen support (that teaches me to not test it regardless). So thanks for nudging me in the right direction. I just whipped out my HP Active Pen and it works like a champ, making this an even more versatile machine. I'll do a separate video on the pen.
MobileTechReview Great - anxious to see what you think of the pen. I just bought the new MacBook Pro 13 i7 500GB 16GB and have both of the HP Spectre x360 HD and QHD. Trying to decide which one to keep! Leaning towards the MBP for all of the reasons you referenced in your latest review and it's a beast. Also wondering how important a touch display will be once Windows 10 is released. Would love to get your POV on that.
***** Windows 10 makes life without a touch screen more tolerable, but it's still more enjoyable with a touch screen, so I don't see touch going away. But if you're running Mac OS X, there's no touch support, so it's not terribly important unless you're running Windows 8 or 10 with some frequency on the MacBook Pro.
MobileTechReview ***** You guys are awesome! I'm really looking forward to the video about the pen! I've seen on a video on RUclips (I forget which one) but the user stated that you have to push a little harder than usual to get the HP Active Pen to work. Would be a great feature to add on the next video!
***** hi ... since you have the QHD model , hows the scaling with the QHD display ???
NICE! I ordered one earlier today... Naturally, Google and friends knew that so this video came up in my side bar. Glad it got such a great review, even more excited for it to show up.. Thanks!!!
I've heard nothing but good reviews from this... Can't wait till I save up enough to get one of my own!
This is the laptop that I want! Seems like a great price for what you get. Thanks for the in depth review!
Lisa, you're the best! Yet another fantastic in-depth review of a laptop I've been curious about. After watching this review, I've decided to buy one (I've bought quite a few things now based on your reviews - you never disappoint).
Another great review -- thanks! Your reviews are always the most thorough and informative -- keep up the great work!
George Kamikubo Thanks :)
MobileTechReview No, thank you! I didn't tell you why I watched your review in the first place. I've been shopping for an ultrabook for my wife, and had read some good things about the HP Spectre. I found your review, saw it, and later showed it to the wife, too. In the end, it is what helped us to settle on this model. I use an HP Folio, but you helped convince me that the Spectre is so much better. We'll be buying one very soon. Again, thanks for helping us make this decision!
I'm cheap, so I bought the Envy...now I'm kinda envious.
Thank you for another excellent review! I bought this last weekend and I love it! I play WOW on it without any lag. I think that anyone can tell that HP took their time to get the Sceptre x360 just right! I also think it is one of the first laptops that I have had that the power cord was so long. Thanks Lisa! You never disappoint with your reviews! I always watch your reviews!
Got my eye on the $1000 model. The clear advantage I see this having over the XPS 13 is the HDMI port. It also has great battery life.
I am deciding between dell xps 13 and a macbook pro, but this is another competitor....I really don' t know wich one to buy. As always perfect review Lisa, thank you very very much from Argentina. I am a huge fan of you and your videos.
I'm in the same boat, there are too many great laptops!
I bought an xps 13 2014 model, returned within a week, needed a little more power in the GPU dep. So I got the xps15 with the gtx750m in it, it was fast and all, but bringing it to and from school was ridiculous, way too big! Then... I got a mid-2014 retina MacBook pro 13 inch. It was in between. The xps 13 and 15 in terms of power, but the GPU was much better than the xps 13's. I have never looked back since getting the Mac. Since I bought my Mac on Feb 12 this year, apple let me return it and get the 2015 model 13 inch retina MacBook pro for free! You definitely gain a lot in the customer service department compared to dell(dells cs is a nightmare) and... While I didn't like Mac os at first, I grew to like it a lot, actually, I like it a lot more than windows, no constant updates, no driver issues, just a no issue experience, and the Mac speakers sound great, especially with the "boom 2" eq software on it. Trust me on this guys. The Mac is the best way to go.
Oh... BTW when I got the xps 13 with touch and the i7, the battery life was around 7hrs, on the xps 15 I got around 6-7hrs, and on the Mac I constantly get 11-12hrs. So if you need battery, get a mac.
And... Hold on, don't buy the xps 15, cannot recommend it whatsoever, the speakers are bad, really bad, and I had to get my first xps15 replaced because of dead and stuck pixels, and when I got my replacement... It had dust under the screen, so the build quality is not up to par, especially compared to the Mac or even the xps 13(from the same company, weird...)
All in all. The Mac is a nor frill computer with more power than any windows ultrabook in its price range.. Look up benchmarks for the i7 5500u vs an i5 5287u, the i5 wins, thats the mid spec processor for the Mac...
Happy shopping and good luck!
I am thinking about the same thing, this laptop is also perfect except the glossy display make me hesitated a little bit.
haha same i am considering between the Dell XPS 13 and this. If only the HP Spectre x360 had the 'Infinity Display'. But then again, I really cannot figure out which is better
AndRootPro I completely agree with you on the Mac, i'm a relatively new user. But, i'm on my 3rd (and definitely not exchanging again) Pro 13 (Broadwell) and every one of the displays has had an annoyingly uneven color cast. The first two had it along the bottom half, and the present one has the very subtle yellowish band just to the right of center (only now it's vertical). If I calibrate the screen to be extremely cool, then this band turns to greenish instead of yellowish, but it always alters lighter shades rendered in this region and makes them darker and less contrasty than the rest of the screen. Can you objectively say yours has even color distribution? I'm just curious.
I'm still within my 14 day period, but i'm debating going to Apple and asking for their opinion on screen replacement. I love the notebook otherwise, and like you i've been getting very long battery life. I previously had the mid-2014 Macbook Pro 13 and the screen was absolutely beautiful. I've really been trying to ignore the problem, but *every single time* I use it, my eye goes right to this part of the screen and I want to wipe it.
Went into Best Buy to pick up a Lenovo yoga pro 2 or 3 (hadn't decided) started playing around with them and decided to go for the yoga. Then this caught my eye, i hadn't even realized that it was a HP. Started playing around with it, noticed the very nice display and the very solid build. The checked the inputs, the full size hdmi really sold me (but was not the only factor).
I've had it for 3 days and absolutely love it.
thank you so much for all these reviews! I'm a fan of all your tech reviews. it makes my buying new laptop once every year or two years easier.
9:04 are the leaves fluttering in the background of that wallpaper? How did she do that? Didn't Dreamscenes die with Vista?
Hands up of u are watching on hp spectre x360🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
This is just great. Thank you so much for being the first and still the only good review of this laptop. I bought this laptop and have had it for 3 days now and love it. I also bought the dell active pen and it has worked great so far. I would highly recommend this. Thanks so much for being an honest reviewer who I can always count on.
8 gb ram, 512 ssd. 1080p screen
I bought an HP Pavilion x360 13 with the core i3 processor and I'm still not satisfied with an i3 for gaming and school purposes. So I sold my Pavilion x360 13 and ordered an HP Spectre x360. So excited to get it. Thanks for your review though :D
YEEEEEEES! I was waiting for this video and its funny how fast i clicked when i saw the preview.
Hi Lisa, great review! Do you think that a 4GB RAM model would be sufficient for everyday use? Just web-browsing, the occasional video, word and excel processing and no gaming? I've found a good deal with a QHD screen, i5 processor and 256GB SSD, the only let-down is the 4GB RAM. I'm just divided about whether I should go for an 8GB RAM model or get the better deal.
I would say it depends on how long you are going to use the laptop. The ram is soldered on so you can't upgrade to 8gb. For everyday use, 4gb is enough, but maybe not in 4 years or something.
I was wondering the same thing
au6ust Not really if you want to use chrome and other apps running in the background. Go for the 8GB as this already is a high end computer.
au6ust I have the 4gb ram version and it works fine im using it for school.
@@tmrflorissen2172hey.. do you still have this laptop? If yes, does it still work fine after all these years ?
This is perhaps the best review of anything I've ever seen.
Now I'm seriously considering getting one, lol.
Hello, Lisa! Thank you as always for your terrific review! After listening to some of your other reviews and reading a variety of reviews of the Spectre x360, I decided to purchase it. Your review definitely reinforces my decision.
I did have two admittedly very minor quibbles with my system, and I wondered if you had experienced anything similar. I noticed that on the trackpad for my system, which is excellent overall, there is a very slight noise while tapping-not clicking, but just tapping. I realize this may be a feature rather than a bug, so I'm curious if your experience was the same. Second, I noticed that in a very quiet room, with the system's fan not running, and with the computer doing low- to moderate-intensity tasks, there was a slight coil noise. (Commencing a more CPU-intense task, even just rapid webpage scrolling, made the noise disappear.) With no offense to anybody's age or hearing abilities, this may simply be a perfect storm my own auditory acuity, the ability of young ears to hear high frequencies, and my peculiar sense of perfectionism. I know that this was an issue on previous versions of the Dell XPS 13, but I also realize that coil noise tends to diminish over time, and that hearing it at all indicates just how quiet the remainder of the system components are.
If these things are typical of the system or of ultrabooks in general, then I'll be more than happy to get over these nitpicky details for such an incredible system. On the other hand, if they are unique to my particular unit, I'd want to try out a different one before that magical return period expires.
Thanks again, and keep up the great work! MobileTechReview
I would like to know that, too
I have heard, just a few times, when it's plugged into power a sort of tick-tick-tick sound that's sort of like coil whine but different and shorter in duration. I have no idea what it is, but I believe it's something all x360s do. Trackpads do tend to make a little noise when you tap since the glass surface moves a little when you tap.
Sweet! I was waiting for this review. Nice work as always. Hopefully it makes its way into some of your shootouts.
Lisa...fantastic review. Not only these, but seemingly every single one that you do (I have been binging on a series of them after discovering the 1st). A really nice blend of technicals, anecdotes and real work testing. Based on this review, I am going fwd with the HP purchase...and looking to buy the Dell pen.
Thanks for the video Lisa, you helped me decide on the sprectre!
Yay finally!! I've been waiting for your review for this one. Dell xps 13 and hp spectre x360 smackdown!!!
MobileTechReview 13:26 "it doesn't have an active digitizer display"???
Stunning! I'm so happy with how the market is going! I'm a mobile gamer! But But I love to have these ultra book tablet pc to run around with! Can you imagine what they will come up with 3 years down the road!!
First truly elegant looking HP laptop in years
Excellent review as always, one question though, how is the webcam for general Skype use. Also, is the mini display port 1.2 or just 1?
HP's webcams are generally pretty decent, as is this one. It's DisplayPort 1.2.
MobileTechReview Ok, thank you for replying so quick.
I bought one of these a few weeks ago for college. It's a great small laptop that is super portable for school. I have a few complaints about it. 1. The trackpad without seperate left- click and right - click keys can be very frustrating. 2. The keyboard light key stays lit at all times and there is no way to disable it. When you watch Netflix videos in laptop mode this gets very old, very quickly. 3. This thing gets super HOT. I highly recommend making sure that the vents are uncovered at all times. I've had the system shut down completely from overheating.
Lisa always has the best reviews.
Dell XPS 13 (2015) vs HP Spectre X360, please.
i5, 8GB RAM, 256GM SSD as a constant.
with those specs:
Dell = $1099 (still non-touch). You have to get the $1200 model to get touch.
HP = $999 (with touch)
Dell is going to have better battery life and the HP is going to give you more versatility at a lower price. Depends on your needs really.
Lisa, I noticed on HP's site that most of the models have "8gb onboard ram," but I noticed for the two 1080p models, it says "8 GB DDR3L SDRAM (1 x 8 GB)." Is this what I think it means? Which is ONBOARD equals soldered, while the 1080p models are sticks which can be removed, replaced, etc. It says 1x8gb, so I'm assuming, it may have a 2nd slot and can take 16gb total?
Id like to see this versus the Dell XPS 13 and the Lenovo Yoga 3 (14).
I've had this laptop for about three months now and I love it but the main problem is that it's a delicate laptop you really have to take care of it
Your reviews are on point! Thank you very much for the video :)
Hi Lisa, great review, my only concern is about the hinge, do you think they'll get tired with time or use? you said that the Spectre is your daily laptop have you notice any change on that matter? , thanks...
and if i press on volume or brightness, it appears on the screen, but nothing else. the windows buttons doesn't work as well :(
watchin this on my x360
how is it now? do you still like it?
Shervin how is it???
Just a follow up: Received mine and have already returned it. Multiple OS crashes, then black screen errors (system fan not working) and eventually (no boot disk detected). Still want to give it another try, so hopefully mine was just a lemon and the replacement works better!
Sounds like yours had a bad SSD or OS image.
Can you do a comparison between HP Spectre x360 vs Lenovo Yoga 3 14"?
Very good review, Lisa. HP and dell have indeed improved their game.
@ 6:09...i found a way to turn off the F5 led light....now i don't have to bother with it again
This looks like it does everything for a decent price. Backlit keyboard, full HD touchscreen decent performance with Core i-5 and good battery life for under $1000.
Could be thinner and lighter though. Well over 3 lbs is kinda hefty.
Will you be reviewing the newest version of this? Specifically the 15in version.
Your videos convinced me to buy this, and it's the best device I've ever owned. I actually have pretty slow wifi at my house, but this laptop makes it fast. On my old computer, I couldnt watch 1080p videos without it stopping or lagging, but now I can watch them just fine. The battery life is amazing. Even when I have it on full brightness, with backlit keyboard turned on, I get around 5 hours browsing and watching videos. My only gripe is the fact that the touchpad is like 75% left click, 25% right click. Why not 50/50??
Martian Luvr I found out how to adjust the right click in the synaptics settings. Now it's 50/50 and this laptop is absolutely perfect
Martian Luvr How exactly did you adjust the right click?
Hey Lisa, MobileTechReview now that the ThinkPad Yoga 15 is out are you considering doing a review or are you going to wait for the Thinkpad Yoga 14? And maybe a smack down with the MacBook Pro 15 inch would be interesting don't you think so?
+MobileTechReview
Lisa, between this and Samsung Ativ 9 Spin, which one would you recommend?
Would you reccomend this for video editing inside of Premiere Pro CC? I'm a bit concerned with the lack of a dedicated CPU and I'm not familiar with Intel Iris graphics. I won't be doing any exporting on the machine, just editing projects back and forth to my main Desktop editing PC.
Nice review Lisa, can we get a smack down between this and the XPS 13?
Smackdown Request, spectre x360 vs Dell xps 13. Please 😁
I wish when people gives reviews on a laptop they would explain more about how it works and how to do things on it instead of spending so much time on telling about how it looks, how the edges are rounded and the finish etc etc etc.... I bought the hp spectra and my bad luck had to return it for it was a faulty one but I need to know how to use it better, need to know the do,s and don'ts, what certain settings mean and how to basically operated the laptop.
So this or the xps 13?such a difficult call. :/
Rahul Gerrard well I went for the HP spectre x360
***** I'm leaning towards the other side I guess but why'd you choose the spectre?
Rahul Gerrard first you get to customize your own machine witch is not offered by DELL , secondly that premium look blew me away, not to mention the 360 movement.It was a tough call, but with a 1200$ budget u get better specs from HP
***** lol I have exactly 1200 to spare too mate. But I could customise on the dell website . the i5 8gb ram and 256 costs 1099 at dell and 999 at HP. Either way you can't really go wrong with either of them. Let me know how your experience using it was. Good luck mate !
Rahul Gerrard ( Either way you can't really go wrong with either of them) exactly, both are excellent choices..I'll receive my laptop after two weeks as it's not ready made...... well good luck finding the right one for you
I wonder if you could possibly comment on how loud the fan is on this device. I've seen some of the reviews comment on it running a bit warm and spooling up the fan with some regularity.
Could anyone help me with this problem I have with the track pad on this laptop? I got a Spectre x360 a few days ago and for the first day the track pad behaved normally. But the next day when I turned the laptop back on I could not press click all over the track pad, just in the very bottom left and the very bottom right. I could still tap everywhere, but not press like I used to. I have looked in the mouse settings and on the synaptics specialized setting but have not found any solutions.
Do you know when you'll be able to get your hands on the new Spectre x360 15.6" with 4k panel? Of course, the new 13.3" with QHD OLED coming soon too!
I just recently got mine and when I played a youtube video, only the right speaker is working. I dont hear anything from the left speaker. PLEASE HELP
Mark Sapigao may want to call where you bought its since you do get 1 year warranty!!
Very nice laptop. Just proves that you can put all ports and then some into a super slim case.
Thank you for this review it was a tough decision between the dell xps and the hp spectre but went for the spectre. Picked it up today. Great reviews for both. I learned alot
Cliff Lee How are you liking the Spectre X360? I am thinking of getting one and replace my Macbook Pro 13 Retina.
I love it man! I'm glad I decided on that one because I like having the touch screen and the Dell wasn't. Thanks for asking!
Cool
I also just purchased this for college how is it? All i really care about is doing work on there and music. Is it good?
More then enough power and performance for that. Great choice
Is there any way to turn off the light on that one key on the top row? Its looks bothersome lol
But what about the pen input it is mentioned in the description?
I saw on multiple forums and posts that there was an annoying problem with the trackpad. Apparently the trackpad is too big for precise tap-to-click or right click registration. Is this fixed, or is it still a problem? Or does this depend on personal operational preferences?
Do you find that you accidentally touch the trackpad while typing?
hey is it possible to play content on spectre by connecting it to tv? In connections its detected and says connected to my tv but yet to figure how to play the content.. would highly appreciate your expertise please. Tx
Hello Lisa
thank you for reviewing HP spcectre x360.
Can you compare it with yoga 3 pro or yoga 3 14?
Hey Lisa,
First of all you're awesome. Secondly I really need your help. I am so torn between a yoga 3 pro and the hp specter x360. I just want something for when I am on the road for work or just laying on the couch. Browsing, streaming, email, and some super light gaming. When I say super light I mean the 7 or 8 times a year I am on the road maybe playing League of Legends on very low res, or Starcraft 2, again on very low res. Most of the time I will be on the couch with it. I have spent a day comparing, etc. Which did you find felt better in tablet mode? My main thing is I want a convertible (had a macbook air with 8.1 on it) but really wanted the touch. Thanks so much!
Your reviews are the best!
MobileTechReview How does the spectre X360 function in presentation or tent mode ? apart from the keyboard being deactivated? Can you still use the usb ports (say with a midi controller) ?
help pls. just bought one 2 days ago. turned it on once, installed my anti virus webroot and some apps. i opened it again tonight and the screen is only black :( u can see the mouse pointer though :(
Great review. I was all set to buy this then they came out with a new 4K 15.6" model!
Are you likely to review that one anytime soon? I'd love to hear your take on it before jumping in!
I know you touch on this a little bit throughout the video comparing it to the Lenovo yogas, but specifically what do you think of this vs. the lenovo thinkpad yoga or even more specifically the new 2015 model with the 5th gen processor?
Which is the best "Yoga" in your opinion? HP Spectre x360 vs. Inspiron 13 7000 vs. Lenovo Yoga 3. I'm trying to be an adult by focusing on function over form. From a brand perspective I've had trouble with HP and Lenovo - though they look better.
can u do a spectre x360 vs yoga 3 14 once u have it? im between thise 2. yoga less expensive, hp better looking and better constructed.
Excellent review, as always. Is there a possibility HP may bring out a 15.6" version of the x360?
very nice review lisa :) I'm planning on getting this laptop as a high school student but I've heard that there was some wi-fi and freezing issues did you have any problems as such ?
+MobileTechReview you didn't mention that in your written review so i guess you don't have any problems with it right ?? thanks
I've had some issues with it freezing with the touchscreen but it's literally for a second or two. Also it's not often but I have noticed it. And no wifi issues!
There definitely are some WiFi issues with this. Not sure about freezing.
Can we get a smack down between this and the yoga 900
I would like to see your opinion in a smackdown Spectre x360 vs. Zenbook UX305
I'm looking for a new laptop/ultrabook or 2in1. Which one is best value for money.
If you're on a tight budget get the UX305. If you want more horsepower that's better for a main machine and the pen and convertible capabilities, get the Spectre x360.
Thanks for the awnser. Not all different models of the X360 are available in Holland but i think the HP will be my choise.
if you had to pick between hp envy x360 and hp spectra x360, which would you pick? what are the differences in hardware side?
I have the 15" with Windows 10. When I purchased it, I believe it was on Windows 8. The battery only lasts 4 hours with light browsing.
great reviews , I am confused between HP x360 (6gen) or the HP envy 13 2015 (newly launched) really appreciate ur insight on helping me buy either of them, thanks cheers .
Anyone having overheating issues with this? Almost all other review sites and Amazon reviews are crying about heat issues....My iPad Pro is being returned and my search goes on.
Hi, are there any reviews on the HP envy 13(2015)? Been trying to find on the net but not as extensive as that of the Dell XPS13. Btw, great review like always
i just wish they can ship more options to Canada. i wanted the i7, 8gb ram, 512gb ssd, and a qhd display
Does it have fan problems? I have had severeal fan problems, where the fan is just making so much noise + overheating problems.
Great review!
I wanna buy a second laptop (home usage) mainly Web browsing/Streaming HD video/Storing music and videos on the laptop. Do you think this is a good option? I don't really like tablets and would prefer a device with an attached keyboard.
Any plan on reviewing samsung ativbook 9 12inch? Seems like a direct competitor for the new macbook.
Hi Lisa. Could you tell please how noisy it is? I just bought it because my current laptop is like a washing machine, and I hope this one will be quiet. Also how hot does it get? Thanks very much in advance.
can the SSD be replaced? If so, is it easy to replace it? thank you!. Btw great review as always
+jeff cleofe I own a Spectre x360 , and yes, you can. It's on m2 format though.
Hi Lisa, thanks for the review, I'm just wondering about the sleeves with magnetic closure as this laptop arrives with one. It sticks to the laptop body even when the laptop is switched off. And when it's on the laptop goes on standby upon interaction with the magnetic closure. Wanted to know your thoughts on that. Is it normal and of any harm to the laptop itself. Thanks
Lisa, which resolution display is better for this laptop. I am intending to use this for many years, so which spec should I get.
Hey Lisa, I'm trying to decide between the $999 HP Spectre x360 and the ASUS Zenbook UX303ln for a college laptop with a little bit of gaming. I know the zenbook is obviously the better choice for gaming but I'm turned off by the reports of broken hinges and horrible looking yellows. Which do you think would be the better choice?
How do you compare it to the Yoga 3 pro when it comes to specs and picture ect?How limited are you with the computers specs, i mean to ask if you throw away att possibilities of gaming when you chose a more flecible laptop like this one?
MobileTechReview what kind of program do you use for calibration? I am planning to get this device for photo editing in Lightroom and I need minimum colour difference.
on my spectre x 360 the speakers sound very low. Have I purchased a faulty one?
Love your reviews the x360 seems just awesome but then started wondering maybe the Apple® - MacBook Pro with Retina display - 13.3" Display - 8GB Memory - 128GB Flash Storage - Silver which is on sale at the same price is a better laptop? Please help or perhaps a smack down thank you
I got the spectre x360 and had screen freezing issues where I had to manually restart it to unfreeze the screen or the screen would turn black and the computer would restart itself automatically. I traded it in for another model and the issues persisted. The computer also got really hot, hotter than what I thought would be acceptable. Are these normal issues for this computer or did I just happen to get two duds?
2 duds lol
they recently stopped making them due to display issues. Then they restarted making them again. Call hp and get a new one!!