HP Spectre x360 15t Review: A 4 Pound Convertible Beauty

The aluminum chassis on the HP Spectre x360 is downright gorgeous. There is a large HP logo on the center of the lid, but it is subdued. The system is also quite thin, measuring just over a half-inch thick. And at 4.02 pounds, it’s one of the lighter 15-inch laptops we’ve seen.


The HP Spectre x360 15t’s display is bright and crisp. The FHD screen is perfect for typical users, but if you’re looking for a killer experience when you’re watching videos or working with high-resolution imagery, the 4K display will definitely be worth the jump in price for you. The display has a black bezel that adds a little color to the aluminum chassis and also gives your palm and thumb some room to hold the device when it's flipped into tablet mode. 



As much as we like the aluminum look on the outside of the system, the keyboard’s appearance is a little bland. Some black or gray accents here wouldn’t have hurt, but if you’re really craving color in the keyboard, all you need to do is turn on the back light. One of the Spectre x360’s clever touches is the keyboard light button, which is always lit. You’ll have no problem finding it in the dark.


The HP Spectre x360 has a sizable complement of ports. The right side features two USB 3.0 ports and a USB 3.0 Type C port, as well as a DisplayPort and an HDMI port. You’ll also find volume controls on this side of the system. There are more volume controls on the keyboard, of course, but you won’t be able to reach those when the laptop is in certain positions, so having the volume buttons on the side will come in handy.


Ports on the other side of the laptop include a single USB 3.0 port, a headphone/mic jack, and an SD card reader. The power button also sits on this side of the system. The back and front of the laptop are free of any ports, though the front has a small notch that makes it easy to get your fingers underneath the lid when you are opening the Spectre x360.


One of the most important features in the Spectre x360 is the pair of hinges connecting the display to the system. HP designed the geared hinges to give the system both flexibility and support: you move the lid to any position in its nearly-360-degree radius and it will sit firmly in place.


The result is that you can have the display in a typical notebook position, put it in the tent position, or even flip the keyboard down and tilt the screen back, which can be handy on cramped airplanes. Thanks to the touchscreen though, you can start a video without needing to reach the face-down keyboard.




When you flip the lid all the way back, the Spectre x360 looks and feels like a very large tablet. It’s light enough that we were able to hold it easily in one arm, and more than sturdy enough to handle being held that way. But the size of the machine, and its 4lbs+ weight, will likely be uncomfortable when holding the machine in tablet mode for longer sessions.