Is this the start of a new era for 2-in-1 laptops? Before these devices had a certain standardisation for them, but we are now getting more varied options to choose from, with the HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) being one of the newer players available.
And this big boy comes with big specs. Inside you’ll get one of Intel’s latest processors as well as a beefy GPU that can give some gaming PCs a run for their money. It is quite unlike what we are used to with 2-in-1 laptops from before, which is why the HP Spectre x360 16 is such an interesting device.
Design and Build
If you are at all concerned about the sturdiness of the HP Spectre x360 16, rest assured that your worries are unfounded. HP has given much care to the build quality of the laptop, using premium materials for the chassis.
The metal case is robust and does not exhibit much flex for both the cover and the keyboard deck, which is especially important for a 2-in-1. Remarkably, HP has also managed to ensure that the laptop stays relatively slim as well, ensuring that it does not take up too much space when carried around. The hinge is also firm while still being smooth enough to manoeuvre when switching between modes.
And I must say, the laptop is a looker. The case design is simple but sleek and subtly illuminates with a slight blueish hue when light hits its surface. The aluminium surface itself has a matte finish that feels good, but the caveat is that it attracts smudges and fingerprints more often—I feel that it is an acceptable compromise for getting an elegant-looking laptop.
That being said, it doesn’t function as well as a 2-in-1 device should. There are benefits to having a large 16-inch display, but not as a convertible laptop.
Particularly when picking it up as a tablet, the HP Spectre x360 16 does not feel natural to hold and manage. It is much more usable when set on a desk when you need to draw, but even then, that is not the most ideal way to use a 2-in-1. If you want to make full use of a 2-in-1 laptop’s flexibility, you’ll want to size down to something more reasonable.
At the very least, the size does allow it to have a generous port variety. You’ll be able to get two USB-C ports as well as a USB-A and HDMI 2.1 port each, which comes alongside a headphone/microphone input. Something you’ll need to note is that one of the Thunderbolt ports and the audio jack are ‘hidden’ around the slanted corners of the laptop—I initially did not see them myself at first glance, but it’s a clever little workaround to have more ports on the device.
For the keyboard area, I very much like that HP has included a decently large touchpad area with which to glide your fingers. It feels great with the glass surface and produces haptic feedback as well when using it. As for the keys themselves, the caps are generously sized and offer satisfying travel and typing feedback.
Performance
In line with the overall build quality of the HP Spectre x360 16, the laptop also includes a very nice display. The 16-inch screen uses an OLED panel, and if you know OLED, you’re getting quality. The OLED shines through with vibrant colours but also delivers deep blacks. Notably, the 2.8K resolution also keeps details crisp and sharp despite the larger screen.
The display also runs at a variable 120Hz refresh rate, which provides a smooth response both in regular use and when making use of the included pen accessory.
Given how good the visuals are on the display, I’m also pleased that the audio performance is similarly excellent. The laptop comes with a quad-speaker setup and the bass response is outstanding, without muddling the vocals. I had Billie Eilish’s hits like ‘NDA’ on repeat through the speakers and I did not feel the need to reach for my earbuds while listening to music. Movies and TV shows likewise sound great on the laptop and it gets decently loud even at half-volume, bringing about a pseudo-cinematic experience with the booming audio.
Internally, the HP Spectre x360 16 is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, and being one of Intel’s latest CPUs, it is a very capable performer in terms of productivity tasks.
Tab-filled Chrome pages are no problem for the HP Spectre x360 16, as are apps like Adobe Photoshop and Handbrake. However, I do feel like the performance could be better. For instance, a render of a 15-minute 4K video file was slower than I would expect from a new processor. Suffice it to say, the device should fare well for more casual creative work, but it won’t be a workhorse laptop.
HP has also managed to fit an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU and while it isn’t a gaming PC, it is more than able to play games should you want to dive deep into a gaming session.
More specifically, you should be playing them at 1080p because that was where I had the most success. Titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2 ran respectably at over 60 fps and were able to do so consistently, showing that the laptop can handle big-budget titles fine.
Battery
The HP Spectre x360 16 advertises an all-day battery life from its 83Wh capacity, though I’ve found that HP is very optimistic about its purported performance.
In terms of video playback, the laptop lasts roughly around 14 hours, which is quite a ways off from its touted 18 and a half hours of battery life. This was with it on half brightness and with a 1080p video playing in the background and it isn’t surprising considering it is powering a OLED display. For productivity and general use, the HP Spectre x360 16 averages around 11 to 13 hours of use.
While the battery life isn’t quite what HP claims, it still very much lives up to the ‘all-day battery’ name—other similar laptops post shorter battery life numbers which makes this laptop a positive outlier if you are looking for a device with a long-lasting battery life.
Verdict
As a laptop, there is a lot to like about the HP Spectre x360 16. It boasts a solid build, excellent display, and surprisingly good gaming performance. Those qualities alone are enough to justify the purchase of this device for some people.
However, it is a little bit harder to recommend it as a 2-in-1 laptop. For me, a 2-in-1 is all about its functional flexibility and the ease of changing it on a whim. The sheer size of the HP Spectre x360 16 makes it unwieldy and awkward to use, which goes against its purpose of being a convertible laptop.
The HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) is available to purchase from the official HP Singapore website.
Photos by Russell Loh of the DANAMIC Team.
