After decades of using Windows, I mostly abandoned the platform a few years ago in favor or a MacBook Air and a Mac Mini. I still use recent versions of both Macs, but after using the new HP Spectre 360, I'm starting to think about switching back to Windows.
The MacBook Air was revolutionary when it was introduced back in 2008. That first model was overpriced and under-powered but since 2011 they have been competitively priced. In addition to a sleek form factor, all aluminum construction, and light weight, for years they had the best battery life of any small laptop on the market and the MacBook Air was one of the first laptops to come standard with solid state SSD storage instead of a heavier, nosier and more vulnerable hard drive.
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But all of that is changing now that several PC makers, including Acer, Asus and Dell, are offering machines that are also sleek, light and beautiful with impressive battery life and the added advantage of higher-resolution screens. The MacBook Air hasn't had a major refresh in years.
The most recent new laptop, the 2016 edition of HP's Spectre 360, goes on sale today at Best Buy and HP.com and, after using it for a weekend, I'm pretty impressed with its build, its battery life, its screen and its overall performance. And, I might add, I continue to be impressed with Windows 10 which, in some ways, has moved past Apple's OS X when it comes to features.
It's really a 2-in-one or "convertible" laptop with a hinge that lets you move the screen all the way back or half-way into a tent-like configuration for presentations or watching video. In this regard, it's like the Lenovo Yoga and somewhat like the Microsoft Surface Pro. Personally, I prefer this type of screen to a detachable because the hinge allows you to position the screen to any angle and have it sit on your lap (or belly if lying in bed) without having to use a kickstand to prop it up. I wouldn't pick this configuration if I mostly wanted to use it as a tablet but it works well for those who mainly want a notebook and to occasionally use it in tablet mode. When you do push the screen all the way back, the software gives you the option of bringing up an onscreen keyboard.
Thin and light
The new model is a refinement of HP's 2015 version but, unlike Apple's last couple of MacBook Air updates, the differences are noticeable as soon as you look at them side by side. The new model is a bit thinner (13.8 mm vs 15.9 mm) and slightly lighter (2.85 lbs vs. 3.2 lbs) but the most noticeable difference is that the new model has an edge-to-edge screen with a very thin left and right bezel. The top and bottom bezels are roughly similar to the MacBook Air but thicker than the Dell XPS 13 for a good reason. Unlike the Dell (and like the MacBook) the camera is on the top bezel, where it should be. Dell put theirs on the lower bezel, which is a great way to get a picture of your chest instead of your face.
Specs and features
As per features, the Spectre X360 has four speakers which have been "custom-tuned" (not made) by Bang & Olufsen. They are definitely loud enough and generally sound good compared to most laptops. The model I tested has a sharp 13.3-inch diagonal WLED-1920 x 1080 touch screen. HP says that you can get up to 14 hours and 15 minutes of battery life which, of course, depends on what apps you're running and other factors such as screen brightness. I didn't do a formal battery test but was able to use it for several hours with plenty of battery life left over. With all batteries, performance will deteriorate over time but all manufacturers battery claims are based on new machines. The company says you can go from from 0 to 90% charge in approximately 90 minutes based on the 45 watt charger that comes with machines ordered at HP.com. The unit is also available at Best Buy but with a slower charger.
There are two USB C ports for charging and peripherals, including a Thunderbolt display and HDMI, plus a regular USB 3.1 type A for your legacy USB devices.
Cost
Prices range from $899.99 for a a pretty under-powered system with 4 GB memory, 128 GB SSD and a Intel i5 processor to $1,349.99 for one with 16 GB of memory and a 512 GB SSD. For $999 you can get one with 8 GB of memory, and a 256 GB SSD, The full range ishttp://www8.hp.com/us/en/premium/laptops/index.html#!spectrex360.
Overall impressions
My overall impressions are positive. One thing I don't like compared to the 13-inch MacBook Air is the lack of an SD-card reader, which is why I just spend about $7 to order one that plugs into the USB port. It's not a big deal to carry but it is one more thing to deal with if you need to transfer a picture or other file from an SD-card. Even though there is a volume control on the keyboard, there is also one on the right side, which is handy if you're using the device as a tablet.
I'm picky when it comes to keyboards and found the one on the Spectre x360 to be very good. It's full-size and stretches across almost the entire width of the machine, with 1.3 mm of travel, giving you a satisfying feel when you press a key. Like most laptops today, this one has solid state storage, which is quite fast as is the Intel core i7 processor, available in the higher-end models.
If you're in the market for a new laptop, take a look at the Spectre x360 as well as some of the newer machines from Dell, Acer, Asus and Lenovo. The past year or so has seen some pretty impressive new entries, including several that challenge Apple when it comes to being the thinnest, coolest and most energy efficient laptop on the planet.
