HP Spectre X2 Pro review
This business ultraportable's gone hybrid, turning it into a Windows 8 tablet with docking keyboard and double batteries
We’ve reviewed a few incarnations of HP’s Spectre ultraportable range of laptops, but the latest business version adds a new twist to the formula. The HP Spectre X2 Pro is a convertible tablet-laptop hybrid. The docking mechanism is particularly well designed, with a couple of hinge tabs on the keyboard base that slot into the tablet, making the join completely seamless.
There are batteries in both the keyboard and tablet sections of the X2, giving it a battery life that HP quotes as 16 hours in laptop form and eight hours for the tablet alone. Unlike some rival hybrids, there are no ports on the tablet apart from a microSIM slot with optional support for 4G mobile internet connections. The dock, though, provides two USB3 ports, an HDMI port and an SDXC slot.
The glossy 1,920×1,080 touchscreen looks fantastic in both tablet and laptop configuration. The keyboard felt slightly flat and unresponsive, but the touchpad with integrated buttons was sensitive and well positioned.
The Spectre X2 Pro will be available with Haswell-generation Intel Core i3 and Core i5 processors, your choice of a 128GB or 256GB SSD and Windows 8.1 Pro. Prices start at €999 (equivalent to around £835). HP hopes that it’ll appear to to business IT managers who wish equip staff with something more versatile than a standard laptop or tablet, but we can see this stylish hybrid ultraportable getting a keen response from consumers, too.
