HP Spectre Review
The HP Spectre calls itself the world’s thinnest laptop. It’s just 10.44mm wide. But is this $1200 laptop good for more than just its thin form factor? Find out today in our HP Spectre review.
What Is The HP Spectre?
The HP Spectre is the world’s thinnest laptop. Clocking in at just 10.44mm wide, the laptop can be outfitted with an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor.
The “world’s thinnest laptop” title is legitimate: Apple’s MacBook Air, which is famously thin, is 17mm thin, as is the Lenovo LaVie. Meanwhile, the 12-inch MacBook and the recently-released Razer Blade Stealth are the two laptops that come closest to the HP Spectre in terms of thickness: they’re both 13mm thick.
In any case, the HP Spectre is at least 2mm thinner than any laptop in existence today. That thin form factor is noticeable when you’re holding the Spectre: you’d be surprised by how different a 17mm laptop feels compared to a 10.4 mm laptop.
The laptop also stands out from the competition with a bold color scheme. HP has abandoned its usual (boring) silver/grey color for a darker, smokey gray color with copper-gold accents on text across the laptop.
You’ll also notice that to preserve the thin form factor of the laptop, the hinge has moved in from the very rear edge. The hinge and lid are both aluminum. HP says this was a deliberate decision to give the laptop added weight and stiffness.
The laptop ends up weighing 2.45 pounds. That’s not super light, and it’s not the lightest 13-inch laptop on the market, but it’s still very portable.
Display
The HP Spectre features a 1920×1080 full HD non-touch screen. The display is covered with Gorilla Glass for protection.
Some have criticized the HP Spectre for its lack of touch: some people believe Windows 10 works better with a touchscreen, and that you should expect a touchscreen at PCs in this price range. However, Apple has managed to sell premium laptops without touch for years. Personally, I don’t think it’s necessary on the HP Spectre – especially when you consider how much it would have added onto the cost.
Processor
The HP Spectre uses a more powerful processor than its biggest competitor, the 12 inch MacBook. Instead of using the lower-powered Intel Core M processors like the 12-inch MacBook, the HP Spectre uses a current-gen Intel Core i5 or Core i7 with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.
Keyboard
If you’ve ever used one of Apple’s ultra-thin laptop keyboards, then you know there’s a bit of a learning curve. It’s extremely shallow and requires a different typing position than a conventional keyboard.
The HP Spectre, however, has been mostly praised for its keyboard. The backlit keyboard and glass trackpad have won praise from users for their satisfying feel and minimal learning curve. If the keys on the 12 inch MacBook have ever felt too shallow for you, then the HP Spectre may be a right blend between shallowness and a satisfying click.
Other Information
The HP Spectre comes outfitted with Windows 10.
You can choose to outfit your laptop with up to 512GB of SSD storage for ultra-fast transfer and recall rates.
The 8GB of RAM, however, is a fixed amount.
HP also claims to have maximized Wi-Fi reception using a next-generation 802.11 ac 2×2 Wi-Fi antenna that gives you faster wireless speeds. Meanwhile, the perfectly-positioned antennas maximize your chances of finding and connecting to a wireless signal.
In terms of ports and connectivity, the HP Spectre has three multi-use USB-C Type-C ports, all of which support charging, high-speed data transfer, and external displays.
There are two Bang & Olufsen speakers on either side of the HP Spectre’s keyboard.
HP Spectre Pricing
The HP Spectre can be customized with different sizes of SSDs. However, the two core pricing options are for the i5 and i7 model:
- i5: $1169.99
- i7: $1249.99
Both prices will increase when you add an SSD and other features onto your laptop.
At the time of writing, the HP Spectre was out of stock on the official HP website. HP has faced high demand for the laptops since launching at the end of April 2016. You may be able to find the HP Spectre at your local Best Buy or from BestBuy.com.