Should you upgrade to the new HP Spectre x360 15?

Featuring a new design

The late 2018 refresh of the HP Spectre x360 15 features an updated design with angled corners and different colored accents. HP calls this new design the "Gem Cut," and while it still looks like a Spectre device, the new design gives it a fresh new look and futuristic appeal that the previous models didn't have.

Previous models featured a more traditional design, with zero angular or gem cuts found. The new design is much bolder and more unique, making it stand out in the a coffee shop or alongside other laptops.

More power on the inside

In addition to a new design, the new HP Spectre x360 15 comes with updated internals to bring it up to scratch with the rest of the competition in 2018. It features 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8565U, either 8GB or 16GB RAM, a 1080p or 4K touchscreen display, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, and up to 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD storage.

This is a powerful laptop and one that should get you through most tasks with ease. It also has a Windows Hello compatible fingerprint reader, for quick logging into your device. Since it's an x360 device, its hinge can fold all the way around for tented mode and tablet mode. Previous models featured last generation processors and would still probably work fine, but for the latest and most powerful internals, you'll want to go for the Spectre x360 15.

Additional features

New to the Spectre x360 line is LTE capabilities, meaning you can now connect up to an LTE network anywhere and always stay connected.

The 2018 Spectre x360s also now include a kill switch for the webcam, which works to cut power to your camera when you need a bit of privacy – potentially a more elegant solution than privacy sliders or simply placing a piece of tape over the camera. For added privacy, you can optionally equip each Spectre x360 with HP's Sure View, which will keep those sitting next to you in public spaces from snooping your screen.

In addition, since this is the 15 model, you'll be getting a large, high resolution 15.6-inch display, great for watching or editing video content, playing games, and more.