HP - HP Spectre x360 13 (2018)

HP

HP Specter x360 13: technically flawless but surpassed by the competition

Aprox. 1280€

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In 2018, HP introduced a new version of its eternal Specter x360. If it is almost free from any reproach, it is however difficult to renew itself.

Our review

Presentation

The Specter x360 has always been synonymous with ultraportable luxury in the HP range. in 2018, the manufacturer returned with a new model, slightly redesigned. A computer still technically well mastered.

However, the competition has evolved well in recent times, offering more and more innovative features. With this Specter x360 in 2018 version, HP seems to rest on its laurels in terms of design, even if it is technically flawless.


Presentation

Construction

The chassis, still made of aluminum, has some small aesthetic touches. Among the good ideas of this year, we note the intelligent placement of the Power button as well as a USB Type-C port in the corners of the screen.

If the golden edges and the platinum body give a luxury appearance, bling-bling limit, some details seem to come from another age, like this screen with extremely wide edges. What was acceptable two or three years ago is no longer acceptable today. For comparison, the Huawei Matebook X Pro has a 14-inch screen (against 13 inches for the Specter) and the size of its chassis is however similar thanks to the absence of edges. A really weak point for the HP laptop.

Note that HP remains in its 2-in-1 logic by offering a screen that rotates around the keyboard, something increasingly rare in 2019.

The keyboard does not change from previous models, with a slightly long stroke of the keys, but a resistance that makes typing pleasant. Nice work. The trackpad is also very good, responding to the user's finger and eye.

The connection is classic for an ultraportable. The Specter x360 2018 has two Thunderbolt 3 compatible USB Type-C ports (one on the corner, as highlighted above), a USB 3.0 port and a mini-jack port.

The 2018 Specter x360 handles heat very well. During our usual test protocol (Unigine Heaven benchmark for one hour), the PC did not heat up enormously, rising to 39 ° C in the area between the keyboard and the screen. Under the chassis, the ventilation grille rises to 42 ° C, which is not too hot to work with the laptop on your lap. The noise released is classic for an ultraportable (37 dB). He will therefore not get along in a silent room.

Technically, there is not much to blame for the construction of the Specter x360. However, even if it is impeccable on many points, impossible not to notice the chassis, and especially the screen, archaic compared to what the competition is currently doing. A delay all the more damaging as the HP Specters have long been at the top of the basket of ultraportables under Windows.


Construction

Screen

The HP Specter x360 2018 has a 13.3-inch IPS touch screen with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 px. The screen / front ratio is very low for a PC of this standing (only 74%). For comparison, the Matebook X Pro mentioned above has a screen / front ratio of 90%.

contrast 1,330: 1 Delta E 2.8 temperature 6,345 K

Technically, the panel of the Specter x360 is free from all reproaches. Thus, the contrast of 1330: 1 is good, without being exceptional. The temperature is excellent. Measured at 6,345 K, it is very close to the video standard (6,500 K) and therefore does not draw towards red or blue. Finally, respect for colors is at the rendezvous with an average Delta E of 2.8. Only the dark blues move away from perfection.

The remanence calculated by us is 13 ms, a correct score for a computer of this type. Finally, the brightness was measured at 310 cd / m², which is sufficient for working outdoors.


Screen

Performances

The HP Specter x360 is equipped with an Intel Core i5-8265U processor (base frequency at 1.6 GHz, 4 cores, 8 threads) supported by 8 GB of RAM. Our test model has 256 GB SSD storage.

During our usual test protocol (file compression, photo editing, 3D calculation, audio and video conversions), the 2018 Specter x360 reached the index of 88. In our scale of values, this places it shoulder to shoulder with other ultraportables on the market and it has nothing to be ashamed of in the face of competition. It therefore allows you to work serenely with a wide variety of software, but it is however a little less comfortable on very demanding jobs, such as heavy video editing or advanced photo editing.


Performances

Mobility / Autonomy

With its size of 13 inches and its weight of 1.26 kg, the HP Specter is very mobile. HP is betting on the premium aspect of this model by including in the box a faux leather pouch to protect it in a bag. A good point.

In terms of autonomy, the 2018 Specter x360 defends itself very well. During our usual test protocol (Netflix in Chrome, backlight off, headphones plugged in and brightness set to 200 cd / m²), it lasted 9 h 18 min before switching off. Excellent autonomy which places it in the high range of today's ultraportables.


Audio

The Specter x360 speakers hold an excellent surprise during the first tests. They indeed deliver a very powerful sound for the format - and once is not custom, this power is reached without having to use too annoying dynamic compression. There is just a slight loss of depth at very high volume, but nothing insurmountable. The computer also delivers balanced sound, far more than what we are used to hearing on ultraportables. It should however be noted a sensitive inclination towards the treble, which can sometimes make the sound a little aggressive. On human voices, for example, whistling and hissing consonants are restored with a little acidity, sometimes slightly compromising their intelligibility. Last point that is important, the Specter does not offer any preinstalled processing software that would distort the sound.

The headphone jack delivers excellent results. We will note here a very powerful plug which even allows you to connect a powerful hi-fi monitoring headset.


Conclusion

Impeccable technically, the 2018 HP Specter x360 is starting to look dated compared to some competitors, especially when you look at its screen / front ratio. A defect little handicapping, but which is seen however like the nose in the middle of the figure. If this point does not penalize the computer too much - apart from the design and the size - it is urgent for HP to innovate, at the risk of being totally overwhelmed by increasingly fierce and innovative adversaries.


Specifications