HP Spectre x360 Review: Is This Premium 2-in-1 Laptop Still Worth Buying?

The HP Spectre x360 has long been one of the most recognizable premium 2-in-1 laptops on the Windows market.

Instead of simply competing with traditional ultrabooks, HP designed the Spectre x360 around versatility. It combines a premium laptop with a touchscreen tablet, allowing users to rotate the display through multiple positions depending on what they are doing.

That makes the Spectre x360 particularly interesting for students, professionals, designers, content creators, and anyone who wants more flexibility than a conventional laptop can provide.

The Spectre x360 14 generation powered by Intel Core Ultra processors introduced several important improvements, including a premium OLED touchscreen, Intel Arc integrated graphics, a 9MP webcam, AI-enhanced features, a haptic touchpad, and a refined aluminum design. HP's specifications list configurations with up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, 32GB LPDDR5X memory, and 2TB SSD storage.

But premium 2-in-1 laptops face strong competition from the Lenovo Yoga series, ASUS Zenbook, Dell XPS, Microsoft Surface, and MacBook Air.

So, is the HP Spectre x360 still worth buying?

In this detailed review, we'll examine its design, display, performance, battery life, keyboard, touchpad, webcam, speakers, connectivity, tablet functionality, and overall value.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

HP Spectre x360 Specifications

The exact specifications vary by configuration and region, but the Spectre x360 14 can be configured with hardware such as:

HP notes that configurations can vary depending on the country and specific model.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Premium Convertible Design

The first thing that makes the HP Spectre x360 stand out is its design.

This isn't a typical budget 2-in-1 laptop.

The aluminum chassis, polished details, slim bezels, and carefully finished edges give the Spectre x360 a distinctly premium appearance.

It looks equally appropriate in:

• A corporate office
• A university classroom
• A coffee shop
• A home office
• A business meeting

HP has traditionally positioned the Spectre family above its mainstream Pavilion and Envy laptops, and that premium positioning is immediately apparent.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

360-Degree Hinge

The name x360 refers to the laptop's defining feature.

The display can rotate through approximately 360 degrees.

That allows four primary modes:

Laptop Mode

The traditional configuration for:

• Writing
• Programming
• Office work
• Browsing
• Multitasking

Tent Mode

Useful for:

• Presentations
• Watching movies
• Video calls
• Cooking recipes

Stand Mode

The keyboard folds behind the display while the screen remains upright.

This is convenient for:

• Streaming
• Presentations
• Casual browsing

Tablet Mode

The display folds completely backward.

This makes the Spectre particularly useful for:

• Handwritten notes
• Drawing
• Reading
• Sketching
• Digital signatures

This flexibility is something a traditional MacBook Air or Dell XPS clamshell simply cannot provide.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Build Quality

Build quality is one of the strongest aspects of the Spectre x360.

The aluminum construction gives the laptop a rigid and substantial feel without making it excessively heavy.

Tom's Hardware praised the Spectre x360 14's metal construction and described the machine as a premium convertible, while its review configuration weighed around 3.19 pounds (1.45 kg).

The hinge also feels sturdy.

There's very little unwanted movement when typing on a desk.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Portability

At approximately 1.45–1.56 kg depending on configuration, the Spectre x360 isn't the absolute lightest laptop available.

However, considering that it combines:

• A 14-inch display
• OLED touchscreen
• Full keyboard
• 360-degree hinge
• Large battery
• Premium aluminum chassis

the weight is reasonable.

It's still easy to carry around throughout the day.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

OLED Display

The display is arguably the Spectre x360's biggest attraction.

The 14-inch configuration uses a high-resolution OLED touchscreen with up to:

2880 × 1800 resolution

and:

120Hz variable refresh rate.

The combination produces a noticeably premium visual experience.

Tom's Hardware praised the OLED panel for its deep blacks, vibrant colors, and excellent contrast. Its tested panel reached about 85.8% DCI-P3 coverage and 121.5% sRGB, with measured brightness around 366 nits.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Why OLED Makes Such a Difference

OLED technology allows individual pixels to turn completely off.

That creates genuinely deep blacks.

As a result:

• Movies look more cinematic
• Dark interfaces look excellent
• Photos have more contrast
• Colors appear vibrant
• Text appears crisp
• Games look more immersive

For content consumption, the Spectre x360 is an excellent laptop.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

120Hz Refresh Rate

The high refresh rate is another major advantage.

A 120Hz display makes:

• Scrolling
• Window animations
• Web browsing
• Touch interactions

feel considerably smoother than traditional 60Hz panels.

The refresh rate can also adjust dynamically depending on the content, helping balance smoothness and battery efficiency.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Touchscreen Experience

The touchscreen is one of the primary reasons to buy the Spectre x360 instead of a conventional ultrabook.

Touch interactions are responsive and natural.

Windows 11 works particularly well with the convertible design.

You can use:

• Finger gestures
• Windows touch controls
• Digital pen input
• Handwritten notes
• Drawing applications

The included stylus makes the tablet functionality much more useful.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Stylus Support

HP includes a rechargeable pen with the Spectre x360 configurations reviewed by Tom's Hardware.

The pen can be used for:

• OneNote
• Photoshop
• Sketching
• Annotating documents
• Handwritten notes
• Digital signatures

The display's palm rejection also works well, allowing you to rest your hand on the screen while writing.

This is a major advantage for students and creative professionals.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Keyboard Experience

Despite focusing heavily on the touchscreen, HP hasn't neglected the keyboard.

The Spectre x360 uses a comfortable, full-size keyboard with good key spacing and responsive feedback.

Tom's Hardware specifically praised the keyboard, describing the keys as clicky and responsive.

This makes the Spectre excellent for long typing sessions.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Great for Writers and Bloggers

If you spend several hours writing every day, the Spectre x360 is a strong choice.

The keyboard provides enough feedback to make fast typing comfortable.

It's suitable for:

• Bloggers
• Journalists
• Students
• Copywriters
• Researchers
• Business professionals

---

Great for Programming

The 16:10 display also gives programmers more vertical space than traditional 16:9 laptops.

You can see more:

• Lines of code
• Terminal output
• Documentation
• Browser content

at once.

The Core Ultra processors also provide enough performance for modern development environments.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Haptic Touchpad

Another premium feature is the haptic touchpad.

Instead of relying on a traditional mechanical click mechanism, the touchpad provides simulated feedback.

This creates a smoother and more consistent experience across the entire surface.

Tom's Hardware found the haptic touchpad worked very well in everyday use.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Performance

The reviewed Spectre x360 14 configuration used an:

Intel Core Ultra 7 155H

with:

32GB RAM

and:

2TB SSD.

HP's specifications confirm that the Core Ultra 7 155H configuration can reach up to 4.8GHz and provides 16 cores and 22 threads.

This gives the Spectre enough power for serious productivity.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Everyday Performance

For everyday tasks, the Spectre x360 feels extremely responsive.

It handles:

• Chrome
• Microsoft Office
• Photoshop
• Spotify
• Zoom
• Teams
• Slack
• Google Docs
• YouTube

without difficulty.

With 32GB RAM, heavy multitasking is also comfortable.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Multitasking

A 32GB configuration is particularly useful for professionals.

You can simultaneously run:

• Dozens of browser tabs
• Photoshop
• Word
• Excel
• Teams
• Spotify
• File Explorer

without constantly worrying about memory limitations.

For most users, 16GB is sufficient.

For creators and developers, 32GB is the configuration we'd recommend.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Intel Arc Graphics

The Core Ultra 7 155H also includes Intel Arc integrated graphics.

Compared with older Intel integrated graphics, Arc represents a substantial improvement.

It can handle:

• Photo editing
• Light video editing
• Casual gaming
• Hardware-accelerated applications
• Creative software

However, the Spectre x360 isn't designed to replace a dedicated gaming laptop.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Video Editing

The Spectre x360 can handle moderate video editing workloads.

It's suitable for:

• YouTube videos
• Social media content
• 1080p editing
• Short 4K projects
• Basic color correction

Applications such as:

• Adobe Premiere Pro
• DaVinci Resolve
• CapCut
• Photoshop

can be used effectively.

For professional editors working with complex 4K or 8K timelines, a laptop with a dedicated NVIDIA GPU would still be a better option.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

AI Features

The Core Ultra platform also introduces dedicated AI processing capabilities.

The Spectre x360 supports AI-enhanced features such as:

• Background blur
• Automatic framing
• Eye-contact effects
• Noise reduction
• Windows Studio Effects

HP also highlights AI-enhanced noise reduction and webcam functionality on the Spectre x360.

This makes the laptop particularly attractive for remote workers.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Webcam

The webcam is another area where the Spectre x360 performs exceptionally well.

The 14-inch model features a 9MP camera, significantly higher resolution than the basic 720p webcams found on many laptops.

Tom's Hardware specifically praised the webcam quality.

For:

• Zoom
• Microsoft Teams
• Google Meet
• Online classes
• Remote interviews

the camera provides a much more professional image.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Speakers

The Spectre x360 also provides strong built-in audio.

The speakers are suitable for:

• Netflix
• YouTube
• Music
• Podcasts
• Video conferences

Combined with the OLED display, the laptop makes an excellent portable entertainment device.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Connectivity

The Spectre x360 offers a reasonable selection of ports, although connectivity is one of its weaker areas compared with thicker laptops.

Typical connections include:

• 2 × Thunderbolt 4
• USB-A
• 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack

Tom's Hardware specifically identified the limited number of ports as one of the Spectre x360's primary drawbacks.

If you frequently connect multiple external devices, a USB-C hub or docking station is recommended.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Who Should Buy the HP Spectre x360?

The Spectre x360 is particularly attractive for:

Students

Because of its:

• Touchscreen
• Stylus
• Tablet mode
• Long battery life
• Lightweight design

Professionals

Because of its:

• Premium appearance
• Excellent webcam
• Strong performance
• Comfortable keyboard

Creators

Because of:

• OLED display
• Touchscreen
• Stylus
• Color-rich panel

Programmers

Because of:

• Core Ultra performance
• 16:10 display
• Excellent keyboard
• Up to 32GB RAM

---

Who Should Avoid It?

The Spectre x360 may not be the best choice if you:

• Need a dedicated gaming GPU
• Need many full-size ports
• Want easily upgradeable RAM
• Prioritize maximum battery life over OLED quality
• Want the lowest possible price

---

HP Spectre x360 Review: First Impression

After examining the first half of the laptop, the Spectre x360's biggest strength is obvious:

Versatility.

It isn't simply a premium laptop.

It can transform into a tablet, presentation device, drawing surface, entertainment machine, and traditional workstation.

The combination of:

OLED + touchscreen + 360-degree hinge + stylus + Core Ultra + premium design

creates an experience that few conventional laptops can replicate.

Battery Life, Performance, Thermals & Everyday Experience

Welcome to Part 2 of our HP Spectre x360 review.

In Part 1, we covered the premium design, 360-degree hinge, OLED touchscreen, keyboard, haptic touchpad, Core Ultra performance, webcam, speakers, and connectivity.

Now we'll take a closer look at what it's actually like to use the HP Spectre x360 every day.

For a premium 2-in-1 laptop, specifications only tell half the story. Battery endurance, thermal management, fan noise, responsiveness, and real-world performance are equally important.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Battery Life

Battery life is one of the most important considerations when buying a premium ultraportable.

The HP Spectre x360 is designed for people who want to work away from a desk, whether that's at a university, coffee shop, office, airport, or home.

Its large battery and efficient Intel Core Ultra platform help it deliver respectable endurance.

However, there's an important factor to remember:

The OLED touchscreen can consume more power than a traditional IPS panel, particularly when displaying bright content at high brightness.

In real-world use, battery life will depend heavily on:

• Screen brightness
• Refresh rate
• Browser usage
• Number of applications running
• Video playback
• CPU workload
• Wi-Fi usage
• Power mode

---

Estimated Real-World Battery Life

For a typical configuration, users can expect approximately:

These numbers should be treated as practical estimates rather than guaranteed results because different Spectre configurations can use different displays and hardware.

For a normal workday involving documents, browser tabs, email, and meetings, the Spectre x360 should provide enough endurance for most users.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Battery-Saving Tips

If you want to maximize battery life, there are several simple adjustments that can help.

1. Reduce Display Brightness

The OLED display looks excellent at high brightness, but lowering it can significantly reduce power consumption.

2. Use Adaptive Refresh Rate

If your configuration supports a variable refresh rate, allowing Windows to adjust the refresh rate can provide a good balance between smoothness and battery life.

3. Use Windows Battery Saver

Battery Saver can reduce background activity when you're away from a charger.

4. Close Unnecessary Applications

Heavy browser tabs, cloud synchronization, and background applications can increase power consumption.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Thermal Performance

A powerful processor inside a thin 2-in-1 laptop creates an obvious challenge:

How does HP keep the Spectre x360 cool?

The answer is an active cooling system with internal fans and heat management designed around the thin chassis.

Under light workloads, the laptop remains relatively quiet.

When you start performing heavier tasks, however, the fans become more noticeable.

That's completely normal for a thin laptop with a high-performance Core Ultra processor.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Light Workloads

For everyday activities such as:

• Google Docs
• Microsoft Word
• Email
• Web browsing
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Microsoft Office

the Spectre x360 generally feels comfortable and responsive.

The fans don't need to run aggressively during these workloads.

This makes it suitable for quiet environments such as:

• Libraries
• Meetings
• Classrooms
• Offices

---

Heavy Workloads

When you launch demanding applications such as:

• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Photoshop
• DaVinci Resolve
• Blender
• Large development environments

the CPU and integrated graphics work harder.

At this point, you'll hear the cooling system.

The chassis can also become warmer around the upper keyboard and underside.

This is an expected compromise for a thin convertible laptop.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Fan Noise

Fan noise isn't a major problem during ordinary productivity.

During heavier workloads, however, the fans can become clearly audible.

The good news is that the cooling system allows the processor to maintain performance without the laptop becoming excessively hot.

For users who prioritize completely silent operation, a fanless laptop such as a MacBook Air may be more appealing.

For everyone else, the Spectre's thermal behavior is reasonable for its class.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Everyday Performance

This is where the HP Spectre x360 really shines.

The Core Ultra processors provide plenty of performance for everyday computing.

Applications launch quickly, browser tabs remain responsive, and multitasking feels smooth.

You can comfortably switch between:

• Chrome
• Microsoft Word
• Excel
• Spotify
• Slack
• Teams
• Photoshop
• File Explorer

without the laptop feeling sluggish.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Multitasking Performance

Multitasking is especially strong on configurations equipped with 32GB RAM.

For example, you can have:

• 20+ browser tabs
• Photoshop
• Microsoft Word
• Spotify
• Teams
• OneNote
• Multiple File Explorer windows

running simultaneously.

For most users, 16GB RAM is enough.

However, if you're purchasing the laptop for several years of professional use, 32GB is the configuration we'd recommend.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Is 16GB RAM Enough?

For most people:

Yes.

16GB is enough for:

• Office work
• Web browsing
• Programming
• Streaming
• Schoolwork
• Light photo editing

But professionals should consider 32GB if they regularly work with large projects.

Choose 32GB if you use:

• Virtual machines
• Docker
• Large Photoshop files
• 4K video editing
• Multiple development environments
• AI applications
• Large datasets

Because memory is soldered, it's important to choose the right configuration when purchasing.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

SSD Performance

The Spectre x360 uses fast PCIe NVMe SSD storage.

This provides excellent responsiveness when:

• Booting Windows
• Opening applications
• Copying files
• Loading large projects
• Installing software

A 1TB SSD is the sweet spot for most users.

If you're a creator storing large video libraries, a 2TB configuration is worth considering.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Programming Performance

The HP Spectre x360 is an excellent productivity machine for programmers.

The combination of:

• Intel Core Ultra processor
• Fast NVMe SSD
• 16:10 display
• Comfortable keyboard
• Up to 32GB RAM

makes it well suited for software development.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Programming Applications

The laptop can comfortably handle environments such as:

• Visual Studio Code
• Visual Studio
• IntelliJ IDEA
• PyCharm
• Android Studio
• Eclipse
• Git
• Docker
• WSL

Languages such as:

• Python
• Java
• JavaScript
• TypeScript
• C#
• C++
• HTML/CSS

are no problem for this hardware.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Why the 16:10 Display Helps Programmers

The 16:10 aspect ratio provides additional vertical space compared with traditional 16:9 displays.

That means you can see more:

• Code
• Terminal output
• Documentation
• Browser content

without constantly scrolling.

For developers who spend hours looking at code, this is a meaningful advantage.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Video Editing Performance

The Spectre x360 isn't a dedicated workstation, but its Intel Arc integrated graphics are capable of surprisingly good performance for a thin-and-light laptop.

It's suitable for:

1080p Editing

Excellent

Ideal for:

• YouTube
• TikTok
• Instagram Reels
• Short-form videos

Moderate 4K Editing

Good

Suitable for:

• Basic 4K projects
• Short documentaries
• Product videos
• Travel videos

Professional 4K/8K

Not Recommended

If you're regularly working with complex timelines, RAW footage, advanced effects, or heavy color grading, consider a laptop with an NVIDIA RTX GPU.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Adobe Premiere Pro

Premiere Pro should run well for everyday editing.

The Core Ultra processor and integrated Arc graphics can accelerate various workloads, but performance depends heavily on the exact configuration and project complexity.

For serious editors, however, the lack of a dedicated GPU is the main limitation.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Photoshop and Lightroom

The Spectre x360 is much better suited to photo editing.

The OLED display provides:

• Excellent contrast
• Vibrant colors
• Deep blacks
• Sharp detail

This makes Photoshop and Lightroom enjoyable to use.

The touchscreen and pen also provide an additional advantage.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Creative Work With the Stylus

The Spectre x360 becomes particularly interesting when used as a tablet.

Rotate the screen backward, pick up the stylus, and you effectively have a large digital sketchpad.

This works well for:

• Digital artists
• Graphic designers
• Students
• Architects
• Note-taking
• Annotating PDFs

---

Handwritten Notes

Students can use the Spectre x360 to replace traditional notebooks for many tasks.

You can:

• Write lecture notes
• Highlight documents
• Draw diagrams
• Annotate PDFs
• Organize notes digitally

Microsoft OneNote works particularly well with this setup.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Entertainment Experience

The Spectre x360 is also an excellent entertainment laptop.

The combination of:

OLED + 120Hz + touchscreen + good speakers

makes watching movies and TV shows enjoyable.

OLED's deep blacks are particularly noticeable when watching content with dark scenes.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Gaming Performance

The HP Spectre x360 isn't a gaming laptop.

However, Intel Arc integrated graphics provide enough power for casual gaming.

Games such as:

• Valorant
• League of Legends
• Dota 2
• Minecraft
• Rocket League
• Fortnite

can be playable with appropriate graphics settings.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

AAA Gaming

Modern AAA games are a different story.

Titles such as:

• Cyberpunk 2077
• Starfield
• Alan Wake 2
• Red Dead Redemption 2

are not what this laptop was designed for.

You can experiment with lower settings, but users who prioritize gaming should choose a laptop with a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPU.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Webcam Performance

The high-resolution webcam is one of the Spectre x360's strongest productivity features.

A good webcam is increasingly important because remote work and online meetings have become standard.

The camera is suitable for:

• Zoom
• Microsoft Teams
• Google Meet
• Discord
• Online classes
• Job interviews

The higher-resolution camera also provides better detail than many conventional laptop webcams.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

AI Webcam Features

The Core Ultra platform enables AI-assisted features designed to improve video calls.

Depending on software and configuration, these can include:

• Background effects
• Automatic framing
• Eye-contact correction
• Lighting adjustments
• Noise reduction

These features can make remote meetings feel more professional.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Audio and Microphones

The integrated microphone system is suitable for everyday calls.

Noise reduction can help reduce unwanted background sounds such as:

• Keyboard typing
• Fans
• Conversations
• Air conditioning

For professional podcasting or streaming, however, an external microphone remains the better choice.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Speakers

The Spectre x360's speakers are strong enough for everyday entertainment.

They're suitable for:

• Movies
• YouTube
• Music
• Podcasts
• Video conferences

The speakers aren't going to replace a dedicated desktop speaker system, but they are more than adequate for a thin laptop.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Security

The Spectre x360 also provides useful security features.

Depending on the configuration, users can benefit from:

• Fingerprint reader
• Windows Hello
• TPM security
• Camera privacy controls

These features are especially useful for business users.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Connectivity in Daily Use

The limited port selection is one area where the Spectre x360 doesn't completely dominate its competitors.

Thunderbolt 4 is extremely versatile, but users who regularly connect several peripherals may still need a USB-C hub.

For example, a home-office setup might include:

• External monitor
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• External SSD
• Webcam
• Ethernet

A docking station can simplify this setup considerably.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Is the Spectre x360 Good for a Home Office?

Yes.

In fact, it works particularly well as the centerpiece of a compact home-office setup.

You can connect it to:

Spectre x360 → USB-C Dock → Monitor + Keyboard + Mouse + Ethernet

Then, when it's time to leave:

Disconnect one cable → Take the laptop with you.

This is one of the biggest advantages of Thunderbolt connectivity.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Tablet Mode in Everyday Use

The tablet mode isn't just a marketing feature.

It can be genuinely useful.

For example:

Morning

Use it as a traditional laptop for email.

Afternoon

Rotate it into tablet mode for taking handwritten notes.

Evening

Use stand mode to watch Netflix.

This versatility gives the Spectre x360 an advantage over traditional clamshell laptops.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

Overall Everyday Experience

After spending time with the hardware, the Spectre x360's biggest advantage becomes clear:

It's designed to adapt to the user.

A traditional laptop forces you to work in one configuration.

The Spectre x360 gives you several options.

You can use it as:

• A laptop
• Tablet
• Presentation device
• Drawing tablet
• Entertainment screen
• Portable workstation

That flexibility is what makes the Spectre x360 different from the typical premium ultrabook.

HP Spectre x360 Review

---

HP Spectre x360: Best Use Cases

HP Spectre x360 Review