Skip to main content

HP’s Spectre x360 15 sports smaller bezels, more power, and better battery life

With its six-core Intel processor and impressive 4K display, HP’s Spectre x360 15 has long been one of our favorite Windows 10 2-in-1s. But, ahead of CES 2020, HP is taking its lineup further with an updated Spectre x360 15 model that features smaller bezels, and updated Intel and Nvidia CPU and GPUs on the inside.

Coming in March for prices starting at $1,600, the biggest change of all on the new Spectre x360 15 is its slimmer screen. HP has slimmed down the ugly bottom and side bezels on the 2-in-1, and it is now sporting a 90% screen to body ratio, which is an improvement over last year’s 80%.

This also means that the new Spectre x360 15 is slightly smaller, as its side profile is now down to 17.36mm, a 24mm reduction over last year’s model. HP says the design changes were accomplished thanks to a slimmer webcam, as well as moving the hinges to become part of a strengthened CNC part under the display panel.

Recommended Videos

As for the updated Nvidia and Intel power under the hood, HP is choosing Intel’s 10th-gen Comet Lake processors, as well as Nvidia’s latest graphics. You’ll find options for both a four-core, as well as a six-core Intel processor onboard the Spectre x360 15. HP also promises that the latest Nvidia GPUs can “accelerate photo editing” and “boost the performance of 3D content creation.”

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Elsewhere, the updated Spectre model sports 4K displays as a standard option, a big change from last year where there was a 1080p FHD panel available. HP claims this is a change they made with content creators in mind, as there is now a total of three different 4K panels to choose from on the new Spectre x360 15.

Options range from the standard 4K panel on last year’s model, a low power panel which can extend battery life for up to 17 hours, and a more vibrant OLED panel as well. That OLED panel is similar to the one on the smaller x360 13, which was released in 2019, with a 30% wider color gamut for accurate colors, as well as the “HP Display Control” software that allows for special color space presets.

Ports and connectivity remain the same between generations, with the mix including 2 USB-C, full-size HDMI 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.1 port, and a microSD card reader. The trackpad has also been upgraded, and it now is Microsoft Precision, allowing for support for Windows 10’s multi-touch gestures.

Follow our live blog for more CES news and announcements.

Arif Bacchus
Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…
HP Envy x360 13 vs. HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13 front view showing display and keyboard deck.

They're almost the same size. They weigh almost the same. They're both 360-degree convertible 2-in-1s with support for active pens. So, why are HP's Envy x360 13 and Spectre x360 13 so similar? It's what's inside that counts here, and there are enough differences that these two similar machines are aimed at different users. Neither shows up on our best laptops or best 2-in-1s lists, but that doesn't mean they're not excellent machines.

The Envy x360 13 is made for creators, people who do CPU-intensive tasks like video editing, while the Spectre x360 13 is made for discerning productivity users who want a bit of style. But is one of these laptops better than the other?
Specs

Read more
HP Envy x360 15 vs. HP Spectre x360 15
HP Spectre x360 15 front view.

HP has not just one but two 15-inch convertibles, the Envy x360 15 and the Spectre x360 15, and while they share the same format, they're very different laptops. HP has been aiming the Envy line at creators and the Spectre at discerning productivity users, and so choosing between them can be a challenge. We've taken the time to break down the differences to help you decide which is best for you.

Both of these 15-inch, 360-degree, convertible 2-in-1s are interesting laptops. They work perfectly well as a traditional clamshell, are awesome in media mode for bingeing Netflix, and tablet mode is great, thanks to the expansive screen -- if you prop them up on a surface. Tent mode seems unwieldy, suspending such a large laptop on its edges, but it's otherwise a size and style that adds real value to a 15-inch laptop.

Read more
Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 vs. HP Spectre x360
HP Spectre x360 15 front view showing display and keyboard.

Samsung recently introduced the Galaxy Book Pro 360, a convertible 2-in-1 representing its most serious effort to produce a competitive Windows 10 laptop. HP has been a leading player in that market for years, and it's perfected the convertible 2-in-1 with strong efforts like the late 2020 Spectre x360 15. HP's strength is illustrated by its having machines on our best 2-in-1s and best laptops lists.

Can Samsung's upstart entry take on such an established player?
Specs

Read more