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- First reviewMarch 8, 2017
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- First review commentApril 29, 2017
- Last review commentApril 30, 2017
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NowWithMoreFlavor'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.
Posted by: NowWithMoreFlavor
When buying products I want to make sure my money is well spent. This means reading plenty of extensive reviews before purchasing anything, often across multiple sites and databases with conflicting points of view, sometimes creating price/performance spreadsheets comparing multiple devices, and even returning many different devices from time to time just to make sure the product fit into my lifestyle.
When looking for a new laptop I wanted to find one with the best balance of performance, build quality, price and functionality. I wanted to be able to take notes on it (often handwritten) with ease, a large amount of RAM (or at least the ability to upgrade the RAM), a fast processor, fast solid-state drive with fairly large capacity, long battery life and durable construction.
With the provided N-Trig pen (which I'm glad HP FINALLY came to their senses and included) I can take handwritten notes with ease, and it actually feels quite natural. Not like writing on paper, but very similar to a whiteboard. I found the pen "experience" quite satisfying. In fact, this is what finally sold me on this device. I had even tried out the non-pen version that initially came out and almost settled for that, but the extra $50 for the pen capabilities is well worth it and I would advise anyone that the version with the pen capabilities is a much better value.
The main performance characteristics hold up very well, too. The Kaby Lake i7 is a great CPU (for a laptop) and has proven more than capable for almost any task I come across. File compression runs fairly smooth and quickly. When running chrome or firefox with 20+ tabs, the Spectre never skips a beat, and even intensive coding, or running virtual machines doesn't really slow down the computer at all. This isn't the processor for you if you are looking to game, are a serious video editor or are looking for a powerful quad-core, but for all but the most serious applications the processor is solid.
The on-board RAM isn't bad either. Nothing spectacular, but it will get the job done. It would have been great if it could have come loaded with DDR4 instead of LPDDR3, but the battery life gained by using low power RAM more than makes up for this. Again, for what I mostly use it for (day-to-day productivity, hardware design, running virtual machines, IT work, etc.) it keeps the Spectre running smoothly. The main issue to keep in mind however is that the RAM is soldered on, so you can't upgrade in the future. This is a fair compromise when considering the size and portability of the Spectre, but it's probably best to go for the model with 16GB instead of the one with 8GB unless you are really budget constrained or definitely know you won't use more than 8GB of RAM.
The storage on here is quite nice as well. This 512GB option leaves plenty of storage space for the average user, and the drive is one of fastest in any laptop currently, only really being beat out by the 2016 MacBook Pro. The NVMe standard on these leads to some of the fastest drive speeds so far, and the model I purchased had a Samsung drive built in (one of the best brands when it comes to fast solid-state drives).
The battery life on the Spectre is amazing, especially considering the performance capabilities and the size and weight. HP advertises 14 hours, but those who know anything about how Windows machines exaggerate those numbers knows this is a fantasy. Still, the Spectre gets around 8-10 hours of typical use (web browsing, editing documents, etc) which is more than enough for most for a full work day. It charges extremely fast too thanks to the USB-C charger (about 50% in 30 minutes) and the included charger is quite nice as well. It has the typical 6ft charger, but also included an extension, very similar to that of previous MacBook chargers.
The construction is quite durable considering the size, and the keyboard is one of the best in the thin and light category. The keys are springy and responsive and it feels like there's a decent amount of travel (although, the best way to tell what keyboard you prefer is to just go and test a bunch out). The trackpad is also very nice. While not as good (to some) as the MacBook trackpad, the glass feels quite smooth, it feels quite clicky (which I personally prefer) and it's spacious without taking up an absurd amount of room. Personally, I prefer the texture of this trackpad over that of the Dell XPS series as it feels like my fingers just glide over the trackpad.
The display is quite crisp on the Spectre even at 1080p. Personally, I don't think a 4k screen makes much of a difference in a 13" laptop and they tend to suck up more battery life anyway. It gets quite bright as well, only really being out done by the 2016 MacBook Pro.
Pretty much the same with the speakers. Good quality, quite loud for a 13" laptop as well, and only really beat out by the MacBook Pro.
The inclusion of TWO thunderbolt 3 ports on the Spectre is another great selling point. This is one of the fastest transfer protocols in existence right now at 40Gb/s bi-directional. This technology is the future and it was a smart decision to include it. It is disappointing seeing laptops like the Lenovo Yoga 910, which is almost a Spectre clone (similar battery life, performance, pricing, etc.) and even gets extra points for a larger screen that goes up to 4k in some models, but the two USB-C ports on the Yoga are only USB 2.0 and 3.0 rated, with only one of the two ports being USB 3.0 rated. If you are looking at investment in your equipment for the long term, Thunderbolt 3 is almost a necessity.
The inclusion of a USB type-A port was a nice touch as well, allowing most people to keep using there current USB devices out of the box, unlike the MacBook Pro and other USB-C only devices.
All-in-all this is a great, well-rounded device. It may be expensive compared to most Windows laptops but it stands head an shoulders above those devices in terms of a great balance of performance, portability, durability and productivity. It also may not be as good as the MacBook Pro in some regards, but the price difference between the two more than makes up for that. It also may not be the most powerful laptop on the market, but again it is an excellent balance of all the categories to typically consider when buying a laptop. Plus, personally if I need something that has a lot of power behind it I would rather use a desktop.
This seems like one of the most valuable laptops on the market. For what you pay, you get a lot out of it without needing to sacrifice much at all. As long as you consider what types of work this is aimed at, and that falls into what you are looking for, you won't be disappointed.
SIDE NOTES:
-Get this with a protection plan if you can. It is well worth it. While durable, it's nice knowing that if you drop it you aren't out $1400+. Plus, all the little extras that come along with the service are a great value.
-Get this with a protection plan if you can. It is well worth it. While durable, it's nice knowing that if you drop it you aren't out $1400+. Plus, all the little extras that come along with the service are a great value.
-For any interested (although this is most likely VERY few) this makes for a great Linux-based laptop. I've never really been a fan of Windows and Linux performs very well on this machine. I actually had someone almost mistake it for a MacBook Pro when they saw it. It may take some time getting it set up perfectly, but once you do it makes a huge difference.
-There are some downsides to look out for. The hinge could be a bit stiffer, although you typically won't notice this. It's not as sturdy as the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, which is actually very noticeable when you go to twist/bend the screen of either. However, being both less expensive and more powerful more than makes up for this. There are times the lack of ports can be frustrating, and there aren't as many good USB-C adapters out there as I would like. It really won't perfom well with any mid-to-high-level gaming or video editing. It also is frustrating that there is no Intel Iris graphics. However, the benefits of the Spectre far outweigh these pitfalls, and for the right user with reasonable expectations, this could be considered the perfect laptop.
My Best Buy number: 3445351355
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+125points
131of 137voted this as helpful.
NowWithMoreFlavor's Review Comments
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.
Overall
5 out of 5
5 out of 5Excellent Hardware, Competitive Price
By NowWithMoreFlavor
When buying products I want to make sure my money is well spent. This means reading plenty of extensive reviews before purchasing anything, often across multiple sites and databases with conflicting points of view, sometimes creating price/performance spreadsheets comparing multiple devices, and even returning many different devices from time to time just to make sure the product fit into my lifestyle.
When looking for a new laptop I wanted to find one with the best balance of performance, build quality, price and functionality. I wanted to be able to take notes on it (often handwritten) with ease, a large amount of RAM (or at least the ability to upgrade the RAM), a fast processor, fast solid-state drive with fairly large capacity, long battery life and durable construction.
With the provided N-Trig pen (which I'm glad HP FINALLY came to their senses and included) I can take handwritten notes with ease, and it actually feels quite natural. Not like writing on paper, but very similar to a whiteboard. I found the pen "experience" quite satisfying. In fact, this is what finally sold me on this device. I had even tried out the non-pen version that initially came out and almost settled for that, but the extra $50 for the pen capabilities is well worth it and I would advise anyone that the version with the pen capabilities is a much better value.
The main performance characteristics hold up very well, too. The Kaby Lake i7 is a great CPU (for a laptop) and has proven more than capable for almost any task I come across. File compression runs fairly smooth and quickly. When running chrome or firefox with 20+ tabs, the Spectre never skips a beat, and even intensive coding, or running virtual machines doesn't really slow down the computer at all. This isn't the processor for you if you are looking to game, are a serious video editor or are looking for a powerful quad-core, but for all but the most serious applications the processor is solid.
The on-board RAM isn't bad either. Nothing spectacular, but it will get the job done. It would have been great if it could have come loaded with DDR4 instead of LPDDR3, but the battery life gained by using low power RAM more than makes up for this. Again, for what I mostly use it for (day-to-day productivity, hardware design, running virtual machines, IT work, etc.) it keeps the Spectre running smoothly. The main issue to keep in mind however is that the RAM is soldered on, so you can't upgrade in the future. This is a fair compromise when considering the size and portability of the Spectre, but it's probably best to go for the model with 16GB instead of the one with 8GB unless you are really budget constrained or definitely know you won't use more than 8GB of RAM.
The storage on here is quite nice as well. This 512GB option leaves plenty of storage space for the average user, and the drive is one of fastest in any laptop currently, only really being beat out by the 2016 MacBook Pro. The NVMe standard on these leads to some of the fastest drive speeds so far, and the model I purchased had a Samsung drive built in (one of the best brands when it comes to fast solid-state drives).
The battery life on the Spectre is amazing, especially considering the performance capabilities and the size and weight. HP advertises 14 hours, but those who know anything about how Windows machines exaggerate those numbers knows this is a fantasy. Still, the Spectre gets around 8-10 hours of typical use (web browsing, editing documents, etc) which is more than enough for most for a full work day. It charges extremely fast too thanks to the USB-C charger (about 50% in 30 minutes) and the included charger is quite nice as well. It has the typical 6ft charger, but also included an extension, very similar to that of previous MacBook chargers.
The construction is quite durable considering the size, and the keyboard is one of the best in the thin and light category. The keys are springy and responsive and it feels like there's a decent amount of travel (although, the best way to tell what keyboard you prefer is to just go and test a bunch out). The trackpad is also very nice. While not as good (to some) as the MacBook trackpad, the glass feels quite smooth, it feels quite clicky (which I personally prefer) and it's spacious without taking up an absurd amount of room. Personally, I prefer the texture of this trackpad over that of the Dell XPS series as it feels like my fingers just glide over the trackpad.
The display is quite crisp on the Spectre even at 1080p. Personally, I don't think a 4k screen makes much of a difference in a 13" laptop and they tend to suck up more battery life anyway. It gets quite bright as well, only really being out done by the 2016 MacBook Pro.
Pretty much the same with the speakers. Good quality, quite loud for a 13" laptop as well, and only really beat out by the MacBook Pro.
The inclusion of TWO thunderbolt 3 ports on the Spectre is another great selling point. This is one of the fastest transfer protocols in existence right now at 40Gb/s bi-directional. This technology is the future and it was a smart decision to include it. It is disappointing seeing laptops like the Lenovo Yoga 910, which is almost a Spectre clone (similar battery life, performance, pricing, etc.) and even gets extra points for a larger screen that goes up to 4k in some models, but the two USB-C ports on the Yoga are only USB 2.0 and 3.0 rated, with only one of the two ports being USB 3.0 rated. If you are looking at investment in your equipment for the long term, Thunderbolt 3 is almost a necessity.
The inclusion of a USB type-A port was a nice touch as well, allowing most people to keep using there current USB devices out of the box, unlike the MacBook Pro and other USB-C only devices.
All-in-all this is a great, well-rounded device. It may be expensive compared to most Windows laptops but it stands head an shoulders above those devices in terms of a great balance of performance, portability, durability and productivity. It also may not be as good as the MacBook Pro in some regards, but the price difference between the two more than makes up for that. It also may not be the most powerful laptop on the market, but again it is an excellent balance of all the categories to typically consider when buying a laptop. Plus, personally if I need something that has a lot of power behind it I would rather use a desktop.
This seems like one of the most valuable laptops on the market. For what you pay, you get a lot out of it without needing to sacrifice much at all. As long as you consider what types of work this is aimed at, and that falls into what you are looking for, you won't be disappointed.
SIDE NOTES:
-Get this with a protection plan if you can. It is well worth it. While durable, it's nice knowing that if you drop it you aren't out $1400+. Plus, all the little extras that come along with the service are a great value.
-Get this with a protection plan if you can. It is well worth it. While durable, it's nice knowing that if you drop it you aren't out $1400+. Plus, all the little extras that come along with the service are a great value.
-For any interested (although this is most likely VERY few) this makes for a great Linux-based laptop. I've never really been a fan of Windows and Linux performs very well on this machine. I actually had someone almost mistake it for a MacBook Pro when they saw it. It may take some time getting it set up perfectly, but once you do it makes a huge difference.
-There are some downsides to look out for. The hinge could be a bit stiffer, although you typically won't notice this. It's not as sturdy as the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, which is actually very noticeable when you go to twist/bend the screen of either. However, being both less expensive and more powerful more than makes up for this. There are times the lack of ports can be frustrating, and there aren't as many good USB-C adapters out there as I would like. It really won't perfom well with any mid-to-high-level gaming or video editing. It also is frustrating that there is no Intel Iris graphics. However, the benefits of the Spectre far outweigh these pitfalls, and for the right user with reasonable expectations, this could be considered the perfect laptop.
NowWithMoreFlavor
April 29, 2017
Sherry,
Usually not, as long as you take the right steps. Mainly, you have to make sure to disable secure boot either in the UEFI. The only time you should really come across issues is when dual booting. In that case, make sure that you set GRUB as the default bootloader (actually, you'll want to make sure of that either way). Other than that installing Linux is pretty simple, depending on your distro. Just make sure to press ESC when first booting up to go into the UEFI, press F9 to select your boot device and boot into your installer.
You'll want to use one with a fairly new Kernel, as not all features of the hardware, especially the Kaby Lake processors, are fully supported by earlier kernels (I recommend at least 4.4). That being said, some of the newer kernels aren't fully stable and can result in some features not working the way they should. For example, the pen had some bugs in Fedora 25, but worked fine with Ubuntu 16.04. But then keyboard wouldn't disengage when in "tablet mode" in Ubuntu 16.04, but would work fine in Fedora 25. Both, however, had the problem of only two of the four speakers working properly. These are all issues that could be fixed in later releases, although I haven't checked myself.
Personally, although I love Linux, I mostly run Windows 10 on mine. It's not because I think it's a better OS in any area, but mostly a consequence of my situation. The software I use for most project right now tends to work better with Windows, and although I could spend time getting all the software working in Linux, I am pretty time constrained and can't take the extra time to delve into configuration. In Windows, the speakers have no problem working and there is a bit more support for the pen features as well. Mostly, this all comes down to the fact that HP and Microsoft tend to work together a bit more, so the software supports more hardware in Windows than Linux and more things work out of the box. I would recommend dual booting to keep Windows as a backup, or getting the Geek Squad Protection Plan to cover your butt if you screw something up.
I would love to see HP working with Linux the way Dell does with its developer edition in the XPS series, but even though that's not the case I would highly recommend this laptop if you are using Linux. I definitely plan on coming back to using Linux on this machine as more support comes out for its hardware and as I have more time to spare in setting it up.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
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.
Overall
1 out of 5
1 out of 5Common failure, search x360 motherboard failure
By MNuttbrock
I'd like to make people aware of the problems with the x360. My 18 month old laptop recently died. After researching the cause I have learned that it is a pretty common problem. A local electronic repair company in my small town said, "yeah, we have fixed several of those." Obviously a manufacture defect with a high failure rate. After trying for hours I finally talked to HP customer no-service. HP wanted $707 to fix a laptop that I already paid them $1300 for just 18 months ago. The right thing to do would be fix these failures for free or at least at their cost. Easy to say I won't be buying HP again. Anyway, it's not worth the hassle of buying this laptop, save yourself the grief & buy a different brand.
NowWithMoreFlavor
April 30, 2017
If your laptop was 18 months old, that doesn't sound like it was this model at all, considering that it came out less than 3 months ago. I understand that you probably had a bad experience with an HP laptop, and even that some of there models just have bad design to them, or bad quality control, but at least keep your criticisms relevant to this particular laptop if you are going to post a review on this specific laptop.
+1point
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
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.
Overall
4 out of 5
4 out of 5Great little ultrabook
By MrITGuy
I'm giving this 4 0ut of 5 stars because there is only one issue I have with this. The description from HP states that battery life can be up to 15 hours. I can get 5 hours max doing nothing more than web browsing and maybe editing some MS Office docs. It also gets very warm sitting on your lap. Other than that, it's pretty much a great piece of hardware!
NowWithMoreFlavor
April 30, 2017
I'm always wary when it comes to Windows-based machines stating their maximum battery life. The best places to check are actually the only reviewers like Laptop Mag and Notebookcheck. Notebookcheck is particularly in-depth with its reviews and is very accurate with how the machine actually performs. Typically I see 8-10 hours battery life on typical usage, so you might want to check some of your settings, or talk with someone from Geek Squad or another repair shop if it bothers you. Otherwise, if its not much of a problem keep enjoying your new laptop.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
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.
Overall1 out of 5
1 out of 5If only the hardware lasted.
By PolkSaladAnnie
This is an incredible laptop. I have loved it the entire two months I've had it. I was really excited that a new version came out because I heard about all of the different issues with prior versions of the spectre, and I really wanted one, but wanted to avoid the problems associated with them. So I spent $1500 for this brand new one. And two months in, the laptop will no longer charge. From what I've read online, this was a common problem for a prior version and actually a result of a failed motherboard. You'd think they would have fixed it. I'm still covered under the 1 year warranty, so they're sending me a new charger and if that doesn't work, I'll have to ship my laptop in. Mind you, I'm in graduate school so I basically live on my laptop. And it's the end of the semester. I don't have time to be going through this process! Customer service has been helpful as I said, but I can't believe I'm having problems only two months in! People online typically had this issue a few months after their warranty expired, so maybe I should count myself lucky...
NowWithMoreFlavor
April 30, 2017
Not to sound like a salesman but thats why I got the Geek Squad Protection Services. I'm in the same boat as you, Grad student, can't go without a laptop for an extended period of time, etc. Geek Squad can be expensive up front but in my experience it is definitely worth it. In this scenario they would have just given you a brand new laptop the same day, no need to deal with the manufacturer. Plus, they tend to cover more issues and accidental damage, and you can sign up for even longer warranties than the typical manufacturer's warranty. As far as the motherboard issue, that does suck and HP needs to up their game. From what I see they are doing better than they've done in the past, and every manufacturer has quality control issues from time to time, but they should at least fix it right away.
+2points
4of 6voted this comment as helpful.
NowWithMoreFlavor's Questions
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NowWithMoreFlavor's Answers
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.
Is this the exact same model that is shown on the HP website - http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-spectre-x360---13-ac076nr Any idea what the ac076nr designation means?
Yes it is the exact same model. No, I don't have any clue what the designation means. Probably just to help distinguish one model of the Spectre from another.
6 years, 11 months ago
by
NowWithMoreFlavor
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.
How is the pen with left-handed note-taking? Can I purchase an additional HP pen or differently branded active stylus that works just as well or better?
Left or right handed operation will be the same as far as the pen is concerned. Typically there is no issue without even changing any settings, but sometimes you can go into the pen settings and change it between left- and right-handed operation in Windows 10. Since its an active pen the palm rejection tends to be excellent.
There really isn't a left-handed version of the HP pen, or any other brand of pen out there, it really comes down to a software issue. If you do want a better quality pen than the one included in the box you can purchase a Surface Pen and that will work right out of the box with the Spectre. That one is a bit heftier, feels a bit more smooth when writing on-screen and has the eraser at the other end which feels more like using an actual pencil, but all-in-all is not actually more accurate when it comes to writing or drawing. Mostly, its just a personal choice as to what feels better and if you are willing to spend another $60 on a smoother writing experience.
Again, it doesn't really matter which one you get as both work equally well left- or right-handed, and if you do notice any issues you can probably tweak some of the pen's settings.
There really isn't a left-handed version of the HP pen, or any other brand of pen out there, it really comes down to a software issue. If you do want a better quality pen than the one included in the box you can purchase a Surface Pen and that will work right out of the box with the Spectre. That one is a bit heftier, feels a bit more smooth when writing on-screen and has the eraser at the other end which feels more like using an actual pencil, but all-in-all is not actually more accurate when it comes to writing or drawing. Mostly, its just a personal choice as to what feels better and if you are willing to spend another $60 on a smoother writing experience.
Again, it doesn't really matter which one you get as both work equally well left- or right-handed, and if you do notice any issues you can probably tweak some of the pen's settings.
Products from my answer
Microsoft - Surface Pen - Silver
(651)6 years, 11 months ago
by
NowWithMoreFlavor
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.
I need it to use solidworks, mathcad, mathlab, solidworks, ansys and similar programs. Do you guys think this laptop will work ?
This can be a bit tricky. MATLAB, MathCAD, and similar programs should run no problem. Solidworks might have some issues, mostly because that usually requires a bit more power in terms of graphics processing. However, if you don't mind some lag on larger projects with (a few seconds at worst usually) Solidworks you can definitely run it without much issue.
Definitely expect the fans to be running the whole time, expect some heat, and expect the battery life to drain quite a bit more quickly with Solidworks. However, if you have this set up at a desk, charger hooked up, and maybe even a cooling pad, this can handle all you need just fine. I personally run MATLAB often on the Spectre with no performance issues, and run FPGA simulations that run without much lag at all.
If you are constantly working on large projects, or plan on using more CAD programs I would consider something with a dedicated GPU and/or a 45 Watt processor, such as the Dell XPS 15 or Lenovo Thinkpad P-series. Both the Spectre and the Dell XPS 15 can handle these programs without much issue, but the XPS will run CAD software noticeably faster.
Definitely expect the fans to be running the whole time, expect some heat, and expect the battery life to drain quite a bit more quickly with Solidworks. However, if you have this set up at a desk, charger hooked up, and maybe even a cooling pad, this can handle all you need just fine. I personally run MATLAB often on the Spectre with no performance issues, and run FPGA simulations that run without much lag at all.
If you are constantly working on large projects, or plan on using more CAD programs I would consider something with a dedicated GPU and/or a 45 Watt processor, such as the Dell XPS 15 or Lenovo Thinkpad P-series. Both the Spectre and the Dell XPS 15 can handle these programs without much issue, but the XPS will run CAD software noticeably faster.
6 years, 11 months ago
by
NowWithMoreFlavor
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.
i got these laptop..and everything is good except the battery life..i got like 3-4hr only on normal use like youtubing..watching video..guys is these normal??
I would say no. It is possible there is an issue with not having up to date software, driver issues, etc., but even so this seems pretty uncommon in my experience. MAYBE if you are streaming high quality 4k video with max brightness and max speakers... but even so, I'll be streaming videos in the background, writing Word documents, switching between virtual desktops, and still get 6+ hours at worst (typically). It is possible that something running in the background is using up your battery life. I would check your task manager to verify this. If this is still an issue then you might have a defective model (again, this happens to even the best laptop brands) and you might want to look into getting a replacement, or talking to your local Geek Squad, or other computer repair shop.
6 years, 11 months ago
by
NowWithMoreFlavor
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.
When I am using this laptop for just basic browsing, it seems to get very hot especially towards the left side. I am concerned that this is going to harm the lifespan of the laptop. Is this a normal thing to experience for this computer/what should I do?
This seems pretty typical, but also depends on your browser, and how much you are doing when browsing. For some reason Firefox and Chrome always take up a bunch of system resources, no matter how powerful your system. On my Spectre (i7, 16gb RAM, 512gb SSD) Firefox can sometimes use up to 25% of the CPU, which definitely would cause your laptop to heat up. Lightweight browsers can help mitigate this, putting less stress on the system.
You also need to keep in mind that no matter what browser you are using, if you have 20+ tabs open, are streaming on half of them, running word or any other program in the background, etc. that will cause the computer to work much harder. Web browsing is a relatively lightweight task, but you can still stress out a computer quite a bit if you push it hard enough.
I wouldn't worry about it too much though, as most laptops are build to withstand higher temperatures. In fact, it's not uncommon for many to reach 85 degrees Celsius an maintain that temperature for long periods of time. The internal parts are designed to withstand much higher temperatures and as long as it doesn't hurt to touch (definitely too hot then) you are fine and long as you go through proper updates, virus/malware scans, don't abuse the laptop, it should last you for quite a few years.
If you are really worried you can take a few steps to keep it from getting too hot.
1) Don't leave tasks running in the background you aren't using.
2) Don't block the vents on the side of the Spectre. The speaker grill on the top and bottom also act as vents, but the side vents do the most work here. Since they are on the side it is pretty tough to block them (as opposed to if they were on the bottom exclusively like some designs), but it is something to be aware of.
3) You can get a cooling pad for your laptop. This may be a good option if you don't like putting your laptop right on your lap, or if you like using it on a desk with a dock or external monitor, and can create a pretty neat cooling solution/standing desk if you are into that. It's not anything necessary, but if you are really concerned about the heat there are many products out there that you can pair with the Spectre to fit your lifestyle.
I would recommend pairing it with the Geek Squad Protection Plan, as if something does go wrong and break you are fully covered and they just give you a replacement. This is a good way to make sure you have a laptop that can last you for 5+ years, or just a back-up plan if you happen to get a defect (which happens even with the best laptops and brands).
You also need to keep in mind that no matter what browser you are using, if you have 20+ tabs open, are streaming on half of them, running word or any other program in the background, etc. that will cause the computer to work much harder. Web browsing is a relatively lightweight task, but you can still stress out a computer quite a bit if you push it hard enough.
I wouldn't worry about it too much though, as most laptops are build to withstand higher temperatures. In fact, it's not uncommon for many to reach 85 degrees Celsius an maintain that temperature for long periods of time. The internal parts are designed to withstand much higher temperatures and as long as it doesn't hurt to touch (definitely too hot then) you are fine and long as you go through proper updates, virus/malware scans, don't abuse the laptop, it should last you for quite a few years.
If you are really worried you can take a few steps to keep it from getting too hot.
1) Don't leave tasks running in the background you aren't using.
2) Don't block the vents on the side of the Spectre. The speaker grill on the top and bottom also act as vents, but the side vents do the most work here. Since they are on the side it is pretty tough to block them (as opposed to if they were on the bottom exclusively like some designs), but it is something to be aware of.
3) You can get a cooling pad for your laptop. This may be a good option if you don't like putting your laptop right on your lap, or if you like using it on a desk with a dock or external monitor, and can create a pretty neat cooling solution/standing desk if you are into that. It's not anything necessary, but if you are really concerned about the heat there are many products out there that you can pair with the Spectre to fit your lifestyle.
I would recommend pairing it with the Geek Squad Protection Plan, as if something does go wrong and break you are fully covered and they just give you a replacement. This is a good way to make sure you have a laptop that can last you for 5+ years, or just a back-up plan if you happen to get a defect (which happens even with the best laptops and brands).
6 years, 11 months ago
by
NowWithMoreFlavor
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.
have seen there are many comments on the fan noise of spectre x360. Is this model, 13-AC023dx, noisy? How often would be the fan running if surfing the web? just don't want to 1300 bucks to get a loud laptop.
The fan noise really isn't an issue. It kind of depends on what you are doing. Just surfing the web? The fans shouldn't even turn on. When you start adding more tasks they might turn on. Again it depends on how much of a load they are on the system. If you are web surfing, working in Word and/or Excel, transferring files, etc. all at the same time, and even doing so on multiple virtual desktops, the fans will kick on, usually at full blast. This is also the case when you start transferring large amounts of data around the computer, or to an external drive, or performing backups. Often, this is actually to keep the hard drive cool, not necessarily the CPU.
However, even when the fan kicks on full blast, this is not necessarily an issue either. This is mostly a personal issue, and often comes down to where you are using the Spectre. For example, I actually though the fans were a bit loud myself, and noticed them kicking on often, as I would multi-task quite a bit and use many virtual desktops, and run multiple virtual machines. After a while I realized this was mostly because of where I was working. I would only really notice this in my home "office", which is really just a large walk-in closet we weren't really using, and in there you could pretty much hear a pin drop. Outside of that, I would notice them but they wouldn't bother me.
So yes, the fans can be a bit loud and annoying, but only really in VERY quiet environments, and actually, compared to laptops like the Lenovo Yoga 910 they are relatively quiet even on full blast. Only the Macbook pro beats out the fan noise on the Spectre, and thats only because Apple's software will only switch their fans on at the last possible second, and then they pretty much match the Spectre as far as noise.
All this really depends on your personal preference though and your tolerance for fan noise. Aside from the Macbook Pro, you really can't find a laptop that will do much better with fan noise, unless you go for a laptop with a Y-Series processor (like the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1). But if you are only using a 4.5 Watt processor, and if fan noise bugs you that much, depending on what you are doing (ex: just web-browsing, using Word, etc) you might just be better off getting a tablet with a keyboard (ex: the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3).
However, even when the fan kicks on full blast, this is not necessarily an issue either. This is mostly a personal issue, and often comes down to where you are using the Spectre. For example, I actually though the fans were a bit loud myself, and noticed them kicking on often, as I would multi-task quite a bit and use many virtual desktops, and run multiple virtual machines. After a while I realized this was mostly because of where I was working. I would only really notice this in my home "office", which is really just a large walk-in closet we weren't really using, and in there you could pretty much hear a pin drop. Outside of that, I would notice them but they wouldn't bother me.
So yes, the fans can be a bit loud and annoying, but only really in VERY quiet environments, and actually, compared to laptops like the Lenovo Yoga 910 they are relatively quiet even on full blast. Only the Macbook pro beats out the fan noise on the Spectre, and thats only because Apple's software will only switch their fans on at the last possible second, and then they pretty much match the Spectre as far as noise.
All this really depends on your personal preference though and your tolerance for fan noise. Aside from the Macbook Pro, you really can't find a laptop that will do much better with fan noise, unless you go for a laptop with a Y-Series processor (like the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1). But if you are only using a 4.5 Watt processor, and if fan noise bugs you that much, depending on what you are doing (ex: just web-browsing, using Word, etc) you might just be better off getting a tablet with a keyboard (ex: the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3).
Products from my answer
HP - Spectre x360 2-in-1 13.3" Touch-Screen Laptop - Intel Core i7 - 16GB Memory - 512GB Solid State Drive
(490)
Dell - XPS 2-in-1 13.3" QHD+ Touch-Screen Laptop - Intel Core i7 - 16GB Memory - 512GB Solid State Drive
(133)
Samsung - Galaxy Tab S3 - 9.7" - 32GB - Black
(1,645)6 years, 11 months ago
by
NowWithMoreFlavor