The HP Spectre x360 has consistently ranked among the best laptops. While previous iterations offered incremental CPU upgrades with minimal design changes, the 2024 Spectre x360 14 breaks the mold. This CES 2024 debut boasts a larger display, refined aesthetics, and a new haptic touchpad, making it a strong contender for the top spot in 2024.
Enhanced Design and Modern Connectivity
While retaining the iconic notched display corners housing a Thunderbolt 4 port and a 3.5mm audio jack, the Spectre x360 14 features a smoother, more minimalist design. The unified chassis color, available in Nightfall Black, Slate Blue, and Sahara Silver, enhances its premium appeal. The spacious keyboard, bold lettering, and large haptic touchpad further elevate the user experience.
The build quality remains exceptional, with a robust lid and chassis. While the hinge isn’t as seamless as some competitors, it’s necessary for the 360-degree rotation. The slightly larger bottom bezel accommodates the 2-in-1 functionality. Despite the half-inch display increase, the new model maintains similar portability to its predecessor.
Connectivity includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-A port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. While some competitors offer HDMI and a microSD card slot, the Spectre x360 14 omits these. However, wireless connectivity is enhanced with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
A Responsive Keyboard and Impressive Haptic Touchpad
The Spectre x360 14 features a comfortable keyboard with large keycaps and ample spacing. While the key switches are light and clicky, they might not feel as snappy as previous versions. The standout feature is the new haptic touchpad, rivaling Apple’s Force Touch in responsiveness and natural feel. Its larger size compared to the MacBook Pro 14 is a welcome addition. While it lacks Apple’s Force Click, the overall experience is excellent. The touch display and active pen support further enhance the 2-in-1 experience.
Exploring the Potential of AI Integration
The Spectre x360 14 leverages Meteor Lake’s integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for various AI-driven features. The upgraded 9MP webcam with hardware-enabled lowlight adjustments promises improved video conferencing. AI is also utilized for background blurring, automatic framing, and power optimization with Windows Studio Effects.
User presence sensing, powered by an infrared camera, enables automatic locking and waking based on user proximity. AI also manages performance, fan noise, heat, and display refresh rate adjustments. HP highlights potential NPU applications like generative AI in GIMP, AI video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, and a personal AI assistant called “Superpower.”
Performance and Battery Life: A Closer Look
Powered by the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, the Spectre x360 14 delivers solid performance for demanding productivity tasks. Benchmark results position it between the Core i7-1360P and Core i7-13700H. While the Intel Arc graphics show improvement over previous integrated solutions, they fall short of dedicated GPUs for demanding creative workloads or gaming.
Battery life is respectable, achieving around eight hours in web browsing and 12.5 hours in video playback. While not groundbreaking, it’s sufficient for a full day of light to moderate use.
| Geekbench 5 (single/multi) | Handbrake (seconds) | Cinebench R23 (single/multi) | PCMark 10 Complete | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP Spectre x360 14 (Core Ultra 7 155H) | Bal: 1,696 / 9,502 Perf: 1,703 / 12,246 | Bal: 145 Perf: 88 | Bal: 1,653 / 9,156 Perf: 1,635 / 12,130 | 6,316 |
A Stunning OLED Display and Enhanced Audio
The 2.8K OLED display delivers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent HDR performance. Color accuracy and brightness are exceptional, making it ideal for creative tasks and media consumption.
The quad-speaker system with Poly audio tuning provides impressive audio quality, with clear mids and highs and surprisingly good bass. While not quite matching Apple’s MacBook Pro, the audio experience is a significant improvement over many Windows laptops.
A Top-Tier 2-in-1 with Promising Potential
The HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) offers a compelling combination of design, performance, and features. While questions remain about Meteor Lake’s long-term performance and efficiency, the Spectre delivers a premium 2-in-1 experience. The stunning display, enhanced audio, and innovative AI features make it a strong contender for the best convertible on the market.
