Whether you're looking for a graphics-intensive work machine or a 2-in-1 convertible for viewing media, the HP Spectre x360 14 has something for everyone.
It comes with a stylus and its design is unchanged from last year’s model, but that’s no bad thing. Its superior build quality and high-end feel underline that this is a machine with a lot to offer. Aimed at creatives, HP’s device is well-designed and equipped with the latest components, including a high-end Intel CPU and a massive 32GB of RAM, and a stunning OLED display that lets colours pop.
If you're looking for a dedicated graphics card for astrophotography or imaging work, this 2-in-1 is also worth considering. During testing, we recorded plenty of graphics power from this machine, which comes close to matching Apple's M3 chip. We were also impressed with its battery life, though it's a little on the heavy side, which is something to keep in mind if you'll be carrying it around often.
HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) Laptop Review
HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) Laptop: Design
- Available in dusk black, natural silver and midnight blue.
- Fantastic build quality
- On the thicker and heavier side.
Budget
UPC: Intel Core i7-1250U
RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
Graphics processor: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Storage: 512GB SSD
Show: 16.3 inch OLED
Weight: 4.27 lbs (1.94 kg)
Dimensions (Width x Depth): 13.6 x 10.9 x 0.34 inches (345.7 x 276.2 x 8.6 mm)
While HP hasn’t changed the design of the HP Spectre x360 14 from its previous model, that’s fine by us, given its good looks and the high build quality of the aluminum chassis. Our version of the HP Spectre x360 14 was coated in a dusk black finish, but you can also pick it up in natural silver or midnight blue variants. We loved the little details that went into the design, including the gold accents on the trimmed edges on either side of the back. The quality of the keyboard and touchpad complement a nice-looking device that’s stylish in both laptop and tablet configurations.
If we're looking for flaws, the use of capital letters to label some of the keys is an odd design choice, and somewhat undermines that bid for ultimate elegance, and it's also a bit heavier. For comparison, the 13-inch HP Elite Dragonfly starts at 2.18 pounds (0.99 kg), while the HP Elite Spectre x360 14 weighs 3.09 pounds (1.44 kg). We can forgive this to a degree, given that it has a slightly larger display, but even the Lenovo Yoga 9i with its 13.3-inch display weighs less, at 2.98 pounds (1.35 kg).
HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) Laptop: Performance and Features
- Great performance, but not best in class
- Powerful performance with an Intel GPU
- Excellent battery life
The HP Spectre x360 14 packs some of the best components on the market, including an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H mobile CPU, 32GB of RAM, and dedicated Intel Arc graphics. With a massive 2TB SSD, there’s plenty of room to store media files and work with intensive programs like Adobe Photoshop.
We confirmed this when we put it through its paces in our performance benchmark, where it recorded a score of 2,110 in single-threaded performance and 10,480 in multitasking. It may sound abstract, but it can be compared to the MacBook Air M3, which recorded 3,065 and 11,959 according to public landmarks. There's no competition with Apple's custom silicon, as we're seeing with many devices, but it's a match for it. Similarly, a benchmark score of 24,993 for the Intel Arc GPU is excellent, coming close to the 25,842 that the MacBook Air M3 scored. registered.
Its best quality, however, is its battery life: the HP Spectre x360 14 lasted an impressive 14 hours and 29 minutes in our video loop playback tests. That’s certainly enough time to last you a full day, and it quickly charges up to 50% in 45 minutes.
The device also features 2 USB-C ports and a USB-A slot along with a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a plus considering many 2-in-1s now only include USB-C ports. The device also comes with an HP MPP2.0 Rechargeable Tilt Pen that attaches to the chassis magnetically. You can also tap F2 to hide the 9MP webcam behind a shutter, which is a great touch for privacy.
HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) Laptop: Image Editing
- Fantastic OLED display
- Incredibly accurate and vibrant colors with deep blacks.
- The screen could be a little brighter.
Like all conventional OLED displays, the 14-inch, 2.8K (2880 x 1800 pixels) screen is a stunning triumph of deep blacks and a cacophony of vivid colours. It's ideal for any work involving graphics and photo editing, and all this despite being a much smaller screen than you might otherwise encounter.
We confirmed these instincts by running tests with a specialized display calibrator, which measured the display’s color accuracy and brightness. Our results showed that the HP Spectre x360 14 recorded 100% coverage of the sRGB color gamut—meaning it covers the entire color breadth in the RGB space—and scored an extremely high 187% for volume (vibrance). We noticed no under- or oversaturation in red, green, or blue, and it also boasts an infinity:1 contrast ratio.
That said, it should be noted that its maximum brightness is just 365 nits, which isn’t terrible by any means, but it does somewhat detract from an otherwise fantastic display. In contrast, the MacBook Pro can hit 500 nits. We wouldn’t say this is enough to prevent you from using this machine for any work that involves image editing or running graphics-intensive software, and you can always hook it up to an external monitor if you need to.
HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) – User Reviews
Based on our experience with the HP Spectre x360 14, most people tend to love it. They typically praise its long battery life, as well as its design and high build quality. Simply put, it's a stylish computer that has a great display and performs well. However, some customers lament the lack of an SD card slot, which is important if you're using one of the The best cameras For example, to capture images of the night sky and upload them as quickly as possible. The speakers are also nothing special and, although they are not as small as you might expect, they are not up to the usual standards of the supplier, Bang & Olufsen.
Should You Buy the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) Laptop?
Buy it if:
✅ You want affordable quality: It is well priced for its class and works very well in most situations.
✅ Simple operation is important: A focus wheel and lens caps are easy to navigate with one hand.
Do not buy if:
❌ You need the best: There are better monoculars on the market, but they are more expensive.
❌ Little details irritate you: The lens cap and straps on the monocular are a bit small for us.
It's worth noting that the highest configuration of the HP Spectre x360 14 is a little pricey for a laptop, and at that price, you might want to consider a MacBook Pro. That said, it's a machine geared toward creatives, and includes features like 360-degree hinges that mean you can use it as a tablet as well as a pen, making working with images that much easier.
There's a lot to love about this machine, and we especially loved its long battery life and great performance, not to mention the stunning colours of its OLED display. It's a shame it's not a brighter machine, but it's certainly not a deal breaker.
If the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) Laptop Isn't for You
If you're looking for a similar machine, the Lenovo Yoga 9i comes close and could be available for a bit less than the HP Elite Spectre x360 14 depending on the configurations you're comparing.
If you can afford to spend a little more money, we'd also consider the aforementioned HP Elite Dragonfly Gen 4. This is the latest machine in an exquisite series of devices that tend to be almost completely glitch-free and incredibly portable.
If you're looking for a much cheaper alternative, the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 will set you back around $1,000. It's relatively underpowered compared to the HP Elite Spectre x360 14, but it's still an excellent laptop in its own right and great for those who don't need the most demanding specs.
