HP has announced an update to its gorgeous Spectre x360 lineup with enhanced performance, a redesigned display and improved connectivity in an equally eye-catching design.
Like the last generation, this new range of Spectre x360 laptops' biggest attraction is undoubtedly its design. It's sleek, and has a chassis carved from a solid piece of aluminium, with a geared hinge encased in solid steel. This hinge not only looks good, it holds firmly and rotates smoothly.
The aluminium on the case is brushed to give it is finish, and has a polished trim around the edges. What's more, the extra wide trackpad is built from glass, to give it that extra touch of class.
All of this is manufactured in to a laptop that's only 13.9mm thin when closed on the 13.3-inch model, or 17.9mm on the 15.6-inch model. Those weigh 2.89lbs (1.31kg) and 4.42lbs (2kg) respectively.
While the hinge is impressive in its own right, it enables the user to fold the screen all the way back around, hence the 360 part of the notebook's brand name.
It holds at any angle, so you could use it in "stand mode" for videos, or "tent mode", for whatever reason you might need that, like hiding your chocolate digestives from co-workers while binge-watching Sherlock episodes.
Perhaps the next biggest attraction here is the display. On the more high end models, on both the 13.3-inch and 15.6-inch models, you'll be able to snag a 4K display with very slim bezels. While last year saw the introduction of 4K panels in this range, the latest versions are almost edge-to-edge.
Of course, these screens are touch sensitive and can be used with a compatible stylus or HP Active Pen.
These 4K notebooks with the "micro-edge" displays also have extra loudspeakers built in to the case on either side of the keyboard, similar to the latest MacBook Pros.
As with previous notebooks from HP, the audio has been tuned in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen and features Audio Boost technology to ensure the sound coming from its new quad speakers is load and clear.
There are still going to be full HD 1080p models with fat bezels, for those who want a longer lasting battery, and a less empty wallet.
Speaking of battery, the new Spectre range ships with a 65W power adapter that can get the battery from empty to half full in 30 minutes.
What's more, you can expect battery life up to 12 hours from these new beefier cells in the 4K versions. That's close to matching the performance of last year's 1080p models.
As other specs go, it's just as impressive reading. The Spectre x360 is equipped with a 7th generation Core i7 processor and 16GB RAM as well as speedier PCIe storage.
It also has the option of a NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics card in the 15.6-inch model, or Intel Plus Graphics 640 GPU in the 13.3-inch version.
There are two USB Type-C ports, a USB 3.0 Type-A port and the ability to charge your smartphone while the laptop is switched off. The full HD webcam has infrared capabilities and can be used with Windows Hello for secure logins and 802.11ac 2x2 Wi-Fi built into the top edge means you should get consistent, fast connections.
Release dates for different models are staggered. Customers in the US will be able to pre-order the 15.6-inch model from today with a release slated for 15 January. Prices for the bigger model start at $1,279 in the States, with UK availability yet to be announced.