![]() The problems I encountered included some friction in single-finger tracking as well as unintended left clicks, causing me to do things like drag pinned tabs when I didn't mean to. ![]() I wish I could say the same about the Synaptics trackpad, though. Between the relative cushiness, the generous key size and the spacing between the buttons, there wasn't much of a learning curve. As thin as the machine itself is, the keys offer 1.3 millimeters of travel, which isn't bad for a laptop in this class. Can't please everybody, I guess.įinishing up our tour on a very important note, I like typing on the Spectre 13. I don't doubt that, though I also know many people (myself included) who would prefer to have at least some of them on the side, for easier access. (Chances are you do.) HP also sells optional Ethernet and HDMI dongles for $50 apiece.Īll of those ports, by the way, are stacked along the back edge. Whereas the MacBook has one measly USB Type-C socket, the Spectre 13 brings three of them, and there's a handy USB-C-to-USB-A dongle in the box, in case you still have a phone, hard drive or some other peripheral whose cable was designed for full-size USB connections. What the Spectre 13 lacks in pixels, it potentially makes up for in ports. Not sure who wins.) In any case, resolution aside, the colors here are pleasant and the viewing angles wide, which is really the most important thing. The battery life is longer, but performance is slower. (The 12-inch MacBook has a 2,304 x 1,440 Retina display with a Core M processor. That's actually fine for a display this size, and besides, a more pixel-dense panel would have further drained the battery life, especially if HP were committed to using Core i processors instead of Core M. (Whether the device needed to be as slim as a AAA battery is up for debate.) The screen is also low-res compared with other panels on the market, with a maximum resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. ![]() That's a shame - I've grown used to tapping the display on Windows machines when I want to do things like shut down the system - but it was a necessary compromise to make the device as thin as it is. Speaking of the screen, by the way: No, it doesn't support touch. Be prepared to either wipe them down frequently or resign yourself to not caring. It looks authentic, for both better and worse - complete with fingerprints. The thing about that, though, is that in order for HP to replicate the texture of jewelry, it had to forgo any sort of oil-resistant coating. The copper accents also have the feel of a fine wristwatch, not just the metallic color. (I've seen non-touch displays on other laptops with about an inch of useless space framing the panel.) I also like the way the screen sort of floats above the keyboard deck, and the fact that the bezels are only a few millimeters thin. Additionally, the Spectre 13's hinge has a smooth, controlled feel that HP says was inspired by high-end cabinetry. For this machine, HP went with higher-quality Bang & Olufsen audio. A leather sleeve comes in the box - a nice touch. As light as the system is, the carbon fiber makes it feel sturdy in hand. ![]() There are other cues too, aside from the color scheme. Nobody can accuse the company of copying or stealing.īy subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy. Best of all - and this is another area where HP deserves credit - the Spectre 13 has a look that's thoroughly, refreshingly unique. Either way, there's no question this is a premium device. It's a timeless color palette that, depending on your point of view, evokes either jewelry or classic timepieces. I think it's the fact that the brownish color (HP calls it Dark Ash) offsets the elegant copper accents and clutch-shaped chassis. The Spectre 13 is neither masculine nor feminine, just. That includes a lot of dudes too - despite the fact that those copper accents were inspired in part by women's jewelry, according to HP.Īll told, the company's design team got a couple of things right here, aside from the sheer thinness and lightness. Everyone wants to examine it, and many even say they'd buy one. If my own experience is any indication, plenty of people have stopped by desk, curious about the strange laptop I had lying around. Really, though, I suspect most people will love it. I imagine the Spectre 13's design will be polarizing: Some will love it and others will hate it, but few will be indifferent. ![]()
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