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MidwestGuy
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- Review count2
- Helpfulness votes62
- First reviewFebruary 2, 2017
- Last reviewFebruary 27, 2017
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.5
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MidwestGuy's Reviews
Only at Best BuyKeep working wherever you go with this HP Spectre laptop. It weighs less than 3 lbs. yet contains the processing power of an Intel Core i7 chip and 16GB of RAM, and it has a 512GB solid-state drive for fast file access. This 13.3-inch HP Spectre laptop includes a digital pen and Windows Ink for drawing and note-taking.
Customer Rating
5
Fantastic 2-in-1 at a fantastic price!
on February 27, 2017
Posted by: MidwestGuy
Verified Purchase:Yes
I've been looking for a solidly built 2-in-1 with active stylus support, a full blown (non-Y-series) Kaby Lake i7 processor, 16GB RAM, FHD screen, with Thunderbolt 3 support to use with my Dell TB16 dock. I've found it with the x360, what a machine!
Pros:
-FAST-
Kaby Lake i7 7500, and includes the Samsung NVMe SM961 SSD, one of the best! This thing flies!
Kaby Lake i7 7500, and includes the Samsung NVMe SM961 SSD, one of the best! This thing flies!
-Ports/ThunderBolt 3-
USB-C port/ThunderBolt 3 port, plus a USB 3.0 port as well. My Dell TB16 ThunderBolt dock works perfectly with this machine, charging the laptop, running all my peripherals and monitors on one single cable. The Intel 620 graphics runs the laptop screen, an external 4K and external FHD monitor perfectly.
USB-C port/ThunderBolt 3 port, plus a USB 3.0 port as well. My Dell TB16 ThunderBolt dock works perfectly with this machine, charging the laptop, running all my peripherals and monitors on one single cable. The Intel 620 graphics runs the laptop screen, an external 4K and external FHD monitor perfectly.
-Build-
Fantastic build quality, great looking too. All aluminum, no flex, solid as a rock. The chrome HP logo on the back of the screen looks classy!
Fantastic build quality, great looking too. All aluminum, no flex, solid as a rock. The chrome HP logo on the back of the screen looks classy!
-Touchpad / Keyboard / pen-
Touchpad is incredibly responsive and customizable via the Synaptics control center/control panel. Keyboard is a joy to type on ... almost feels like a mechanical(?) with excellent travel. The x360 uses the N-Trig digitizer as well, meaning you can use the new(er) Surface Pen as well with customizable eraser / top clicker.
Touchpad is incredibly responsive and customizable via the Synaptics control center/control panel. Keyboard is a joy to type on ... almost feels like a mechanical(?) with excellent travel. The x360 uses the N-Trig digitizer as well, meaning you can use the new(er) Surface Pen as well with customizable eraser / top clicker.
-Webcam-
Above the screen, great image quality. Windows Hello enabled! I look at my computer to log in. It's that simple.
Above the screen, great image quality. Windows Hello enabled! I look at my computer to log in. It's that simple.
-Price-
Wow. This is a lot of high quality computer for very little $$$ ... AND it comes with an active pen and very nice sleeve case!
Wow. This is a lot of high quality computer for very little $$$ ... AND it comes with an active pen and very nice sleeve case!
-Battery-
It gets me through a full day of meetings with plenty of life left. I would guess around 12-13 hours with light to moderate usage, but hard to say as I haven't come close to running it down yet.
It gets me through a full day of meetings with plenty of life left. I would guess around 12-13 hours with light to moderate usage, but hard to say as I haven't come close to running it down yet.
-Power to weight ratio-
This is a LOT of computer in a very small space!
This is a LOT of computer in a very small space!
Cons:
-Screen-
FHD screen has some uneven backlighting, mostly noticeable at the top edge of the screen. The display is very slightly darker at the top 5-10mm all the way across. Friends/family do not notice it, most people probably wouldn't notice it. I'm very picky with screens.
FHD screen has some uneven backlighting, mostly noticeable at the top edge of the screen. The display is very slightly darker at the top 5-10mm all the way across. Friends/family do not notice it, most people probably wouldn't notice it. I'm very picky with screens.
-Pre-loaded software-
A TON of HP branded software/help/support stuff installed by default ... didn't seem too intrusive, but still... there was a lot, I uninstalled most of it, as I don't need the support stuff and don't want to have to worry about keeping installed software I don't use up to date and secure. I check regularly for driver/firmware updates from both HP and Windows/Microsoft.
A TON of HP branded software/help/support stuff installed by default ... didn't seem too intrusive, but still... there was a lot, I uninstalled most of it, as I don't need the support stuff and don't want to have to worry about keeping installed software I don't use up to date and secure. I check regularly for driver/firmware updates from both HP and Windows/Microsoft.
The cons weren't enough for me to knock a star off. This is a winner of a machine, and there are no 2-in-1s out right now that can even come close to these specs in the 13" form factor at this price. If you're looking for a nearly perfect 2-in-1 laptop, this is it! The 4K version looks great too, but wanted a little extra battery life so decided on the FHD version.
My Best Buy number: 0768090794
My Best Buy number: 0768090794
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+41points
43of 45voted this as helpful.
Dell XPS Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop: Ensure you always have access to your files when you carry this Dell XPS two-in-one laptop. An Intel Core i7 processor combines with 16GB of RAM so that it has enough power to blast through tasks at lightning-fast speeds. A reliable 512GB solid-state hard drive in this Dell XPS two-in-one laptop keeps your data secure.
Customer Rating
2
Great machine. Bad firmware/software. CABC?
on February 2, 2017
Posted by: MidwestGuy
Verified Purchase:Yes
The XPS 2-in-1 is a fantastic little (literally) piece of tech. Great design, form factor, and a super solid build. Unfortunately, we early adopters must act as beta testers, though I believe most can be resolved with firmware/software updates.
First of all, CABC (Content Adaptive Brightness Control) needs to go. This is a lesson learned from prior XPS units and it shouldn't be an issue in a brand new one. An absolute shame. This machine would have 5 stars if it weren't for this. Not only does it adjust the brightness, it also adjusts the contrast, to the point where grays will turn pinkish in color. Dell, please fix this. I will decide what brightness I want and I'm aware that brighter == less battery life. This CABC "technology" should have never existed and users need an option to disable this as soon as possible.
I have one other frustrating issue: the system is not sleeping properly sometimes when closed (even if no foreground apps are open)... I've had a couple of instances where I'd remove the system from my bag after a few hours and it was slightly warm, and upon waking it up I notice that a once 100% charged battery was curiously drained to about 60%.
I hope to be able to re-review this system in the next couple of weeks and adjust my 2 star to a 5 star. I do believe these issues are software related and can be fixed by Dell. The hardware, form factor, build quality, design, and materials make me want to love this machine. They are top notch. Fix the firmware/software/driver issues and this machine is a total winner. Until then, a near fail.
My Best Buy number: 0768090794
My Best Buy number: 0768090794
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+19points
19of 19voted this as helpful.
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