62 PCWorld APRIL 2019REVIEWS HP SPECTRE X360 15 (2019)
ports, I’m happy to cheer
stylistic flourishes like this
one. If I were to compare the
Spectre x360 with its rival,
Dell’s XPS laptop, I’d give the
edge on aesthetics to the HP
Spectre x360.
One of the more
intriguing features of the HP
Spectre x360 15 (2019) is
what HP calls its Privacy
Camera Kill Switch, designed
to disable the webcam when
not in use. And when we say
“disable,” that’s exactly what
we mean: a physical switch
on the right-hand edge of the
Spectre’s chassis literally
removes the Windows driver
from Windows, preventing it
from working. It even
disappears from the list of
available devices. When you
flip the switch back, the
camera returns.
It’s a novel solution, and
plays into the growing
(though possibly unfounded?) concern that
hackers may use your webcam to spy on you
without your knowledge. Still, we can’t help
wondering: Most smart speakers ship with a
button that disables the microphone. HP’s
solution, like the Lenovo Think Shutter and
others, leaves the mic up and running. Why?(The Spectre x360 includes far-field mics
that picked up my voice readily across a quiet
room. The laptop can also listen for the wake
word “Hey Cortana” even when asleep,
though you’ll need to enable that functionality
within the Settings > Cortana >Talk to
Cortana Windows Settings menu.)The most distinctive visual element of the HP Spectre X360 15 is the
way in which its rear corners have been flattened to accommodate a
USB-C/Thunderbolt port on the right rear corner......and the power button on the rear left corner. The headphone jack
and an HDMI port sit alongside.