70 PCWorld APRIL 2019REVIEWS HP SPECTRE X360 15 (2019)
HP Spectre x360 15 (2019)
PROS- Performance improves significantly from prior
generation - Battery life improves moderately
- 4K screen
- Camera kill switch works as advertised.
CONS - Elevated price robs some of its value.
- 300-nit maximum brightness is a bit low for a
premium product. - Well over 5 pounds with charger.
$2,049
somewhat. HP predicted we’d see about 13.5
hours, using local video playback as a test.
That’s the way we test, too, though we usually
dial up the brightness to what we consider to
be usable levels: between 250 and 260 nits
of luminosity. Inside, the HP Spectre x360 15
includes an 80 watt-hour battery, at the high
end for 15-inch notebooks.
Remember, the Spectre x360 x15 (2018) can
be configured with either a 650-nit SureView
panel, or, like our review unit, with a 4K panel that
puts out about 300 nits, maximum.BOTTOM LINE
If the more powerful Kaby Lake-G version of
the 2018 HP Spectre x360 15 (go.pcworld.
com/spcr) convertible earned itself an
Editors’ Choice award, then it’s not too much
of a stretch to award the 2019 version one,
too. The 2019 version outperforms the 2018
version in most of our benchmarks, includinggraphics, and offers
more battery life as well.
In terms of the
competition, though,
you’ll have to decide:
Dell’s XPS 15 9570 is
undoubtedly a better
value, though HP’s
Spectre is simply more
attractive. That price tag,
though....
HP makes its case by
including a powerful
6-core processor, 4K screen, and discrete
GPU. It’s also worth applauding HP’s
continued push to improve, not just iterate,
with its angled aesthetic and camera kill
switch. HP’s Spectre x360 15 continues to
drive hard to build upon an already excellent
design, and its continuing commitment to
innovation earns it our top award.