Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Русский
Türkçe
Svenska
Chinese
Magyar2022 HP Spectre x360 13.5 review: The pinnacle subnotebook convertible
The original 13.5-inch HP Spectre x360 launched in 2020 and it quickly became one of our favorite convertible laptops in its size class. The 2021 refresh would introduce very few changes for what amounted to essentially the same performance and user experience. Fortunately, the 2022 revision includes a handful of changes beyond the obvious CPU upgrade that interested users should definitely want to know about.
Our specific unit in review is the higher-end configuration with the Core i7-1255U CPU, 3000 x 2000 OLED touchscreen, and 16 GB of soldered RAM for approximately $1700 USD retail. Lesser SKUs with the Core i5-1235U and 1980 x 1280 IPS touchscreen are available for lower prices as well. A 1000-nit option exists, but only for certain 1280p IPS SKUs. All options otherwise come with integrated graphics only and no WAN.
Alternatives to the HP Spectre x360 13.5 include other prosumer or office-centric 13.5-inch laptops like the Framework Laptop, Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13, or the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga series. Note that the 2022 HP model is called the "Spectre x360 13.5" whereas earlier 2020 or 2021 models are called the "Spectre x360 14". We suspect that the manufacturer changed the name this year to more accurately reflect the 13.5-inch screen size.
More HP reviews:
Potential Competitors in Comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90.3 % | 08/2022 | HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 i7-1255U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.4 kg | 17 mm | 13.50" | 3000x2000 | |
| 89.5 % | 05/2021 | HP Spectre x360 14-ea0378ng i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.3 kg | 16.9 mm | 13.50" | 3000x2000 | |
| 85.1 % | 07/2022 | Framework Laptop 13.5 12th Gen Intel i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.3 kg | 15.85 mm | 13.50" | 2256x1504 | |
| 88.5 % | 03/2022 | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga G1 20QB0016GE i5-1140G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 1.2 kg | 11.5 mm | 13.50" | 2256x1504 | |
| 85.4 % | 07/2021 | Framework Laptop 13.5 i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.3 kg | 15.85 mm | 13.50" | 2256x1504 | |
| 84 % | 08/2021 | HP EliteBook Folio 13.5-3G2L2EA SD 8cx Gen 2 5G, Adreno 680 | 1.3 kg | 16 mm | 13.50" | 1920x1280 | |
| 85.2 % | 05/2021 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13 Ryzen 5 R5 4680U, Vega 7 | 1.3 kg | 14 mm | 13.50" | 2256x1504 |
Case — Rounder And Smoother
HP has revamped the 2020 design for the this 2022 refresh. Most of the changes, however, are largely superficial and with minor internal changes. Users can easily distinguish the 2022 model from the 2020 version by its rounder edges and corners, different keyboard layout, and repositioned ports. Otherwise, chassis rigidity remains just as strong as it was before for a luxurious impression and feel. We especially appreciate how much more serviceable and stronger the HP design is when compared to the closed Surface Laptop 4 13 and more creaky Framework Laptop, respectively.
Both dimensions and weight have not changed from the original 2020 design for better or worse. While that's not necessarily bad, there are several other 13.5-inch laptops that are thinner than our Spectre by a few millimeters or more like the Surface Laptop 4, Framework Laptop, or the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga G1.
Connectivity — Thunderbolt 4 Support
The 2022 model retains all the ports on the original 2021 model albeit with the 3.5 mm headset jack repositioned. The corner ports continue to be a distinguishing feature of the Spectre series.
SD Card Reader
For some reason or another, HP has significantly downgraded the performance of the MicroSD reader from the previous generation model. Moving 1 GB of images from our UHS-II test card to desktop takes about 21 seconds compared to just 5 to 6 seconds on the older Spectre x360 14.
| SD Card Reader | |
| average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| HP Spectre x360 14-ea0378ng (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 (AV Pro UHS-II V60) | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 12th Gen Intel (AV Pro UHS-II V60) | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 (AV Pro UHS-II V60) | |
| maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
| HP Spectre x360 14-ea0378ng (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 (AV Pro UHS-II V60) | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 12th Gen Intel (AV Pro UHS-II V60) | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 (AV Pro UHS-II V60) | |
Communication
An Intel AX211 comes standard for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. Transfer rates are steady and without issues when paired to our 6 GHz network.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13 Ryzen 5 | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 | |
| HP Spectre x360 14-ea0378ng | |
| HP EliteBook Folio 13.5-3G2L2EA | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13 Ryzen 5 | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 | |
| HP Spectre x360 14-ea0378ng | |
| HP EliteBook Folio 13.5-3G2L2EA | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 12th Gen Intel | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 12th Gen Intel | |
Webcam
HP has upgraded the integrated webcam from 1 MP on the 2020 model to 5 MP on this 2022 revision. The higher resolution is immediately noticeable for one of the clearest picture quality of any subnotebook webcam. In fact, this Spectre is the first in its size category to integrate a 5 MP webcam. Video quality is still limited to 1080p at 30 FPS, however.
Both a webcam shutter and IR sensor are included for privacy and Windows Hello support, respectively.
Maintenance
The bottom panel comes off easily with just a Torx screwdriver. We appreciate that there are no screws hidden underneath the rubber footing as well.
Users can swap out the SSD and WLAN modules while the RAM modules are fixed. The WLAN module was not removable on the 2021/2020 model as shown by the comparison images below.
Accessories and Warranty
The retail box includes a carrying sleeve, magnetic active stylus pen (MPP2.0 Tilt Pen), and a 4-port USB-C hub (2x USB-A, HDMI, and USB-C). We certainly love that HP throws in a bunch of useful accessories that other laptop makers tend to skimp on.
Input Devices — Comfortable Keyboard With A Large Clickpad
Keyboard
When compared to the 2020 model, HP has completely removed the right column of keys for the 2022 revision. This means that there are no more dedicated keys for PgUp, PgDn, Home, or End as these are now secondary functions associated with the arrow keys. If you rely on these keys a lot for your day-to-day workloads, then you might be disappointed by the sudden change.
Key layout and feedback are both otherwise very close to the 2020 model for a similar typing experience. We still find the keyboards on HP Spectre, Envy, or EliteBook laptops to be some of the best as they are not as spongy or shallow as on most other Ultrabooks.
Touchpad
The clickpad is even larger this time when compared to the 2020 model (12.5 x 8 cm vs. 11.5 x 7.4 cm) for more comfortable multi-touch inputs. Nonetheless, clicking on the integrated mouse buttons still feels softer and spongier than we would like.
Display — Same 3:2 60 Hz Samsung OLED Experience
While our 2022 test unit uses a different display controller than the 2021 model (SDC4160 vs. SDC4148), both are still 3:2 OLED panels from Samsung for the same viewing experience two years in a row. Core attributes like resolution, refresh rate, gamut, response times, and brightness have not changed. We would love to see 90 Hz or 120 Hz OLED options in the future similar to what Asus is currently offering on some of its ZenBook and VivoBook models.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 351.7 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.78 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5.1
ΔE Greyscale 2.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
90.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.11
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 SDC4160, OLED, 3000x2000, 13.50 | HP Spectre x360 14-ea0378ng Samsung SDC4148, OLED, 3000x2000, 13.50 | Framework Laptop 13.5 12th Gen Intel BOE CQ NE135FBM-N41, IPS, 2256x1504, 13.50 | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga G1 20QB0016GE LPM135M467, IPS LED, 2256x1504, 13.50 | Framework Laptop 13.5 BOE CQ NE135FBM-N41, IPS, 2256x1504, 13.50 | HP EliteBook Folio 13.5-3G2L2EA LGD0663, IPS, 1920x1280, 13.50 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13 i7 LQ135P1JX51, IPS, 2256x1504, 13.50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 2% | -18% | -20% | -18% | -21% | ||
| Display P3 Coverage | 99.9 | 99.9 0% | 69.9 -30% | 66.8 -33% | 69 -31% | 64.7 -35% | |
| sRGB Coverage | 100 | 100 0% | 99.4 -1% | 98 -2% | 99.3 -1% | 97.2 -3% | |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 90.8 | 96.1 6% | 71.1 -22% | 68.6 -24% | 70.3 -23% | 66.9 -26% | |
| Response Times | 106% | -1450% | -2603% | -2197% | -1683% | 10460% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 1.9 ? | 2 ? -5% | 34.7 ? -1726% | 64 ? -3268% | 55.6 ? -2826% | 44 ? -2216% | 62.8 ? -3205% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 2.16 ? | 2 ? 7% | 27.5 ? -1173% | 44 ? -1937% | 36 ? -1567% | 27 ? -1150% | 39.8 ? -1743% |
| PWM Frequency | 60.2 ? | 250 ? 315% | 21930 ? 36329% | ||||
| Screen | 0% | -26% | 9% | -15% | -40% | -3% | |
| Brightness middle | 351.7 | 370 5% | 449.6 28% | 465 32% | 449 28% | 250 -29% | 413 17% |
| Brightness | 351 | 374 7% | 431 23% | 451 28% | 435 24% | 226 -36% | 400 14% |
| Brightness Distribution | 87 | 90 3% | 90 3% | 92 6% | 93 7% | 82 -6% | 94 8% |
| Black Level * | 0.01 | 0.31 | 0.28 | 0.39 | 0.215 | 0.29 | |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.78 | 2.57 -44% | 2.76 -55% | 2 -12% | 2.34 -31% | 3.59 -102% | 2.8 -57% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 6.14 | 4.52 26% | 7.96 -30% | 4.7 23% | 7.07 -15% | 5.9 4% | 7.2 -17% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.3 | 2.2 4% | 5.2 -126% | 2.9 -26% | 4.7 -104% | 3.99 -73% | 1.9 17% |
| Gamma | 2.11 104% | 2.36 93% | 2.23 99% | 2.09 105% | 2.29 96% | 2.98 74% | 2.12 104% |
| CCT | 6683 97% | 6154 106% | 6475 100% | 6181 105% | 6760 96% | 6765 96% | 6510 100% |
| Contrast | 37000 | 1450 | 1661 | 1151 | 1163 | 1424 | |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 2.31 | 0.58 | 0.7 | 0.96 | 0.8 | ||
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 85.8 | 61.6 | |||||
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 100 | 97.2 | |||||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 36% /
27% | -498% /
-283% | -871% /
-474% | -743% /
-413% | -862% /
-451% | 3479% /
2608% |
* ... smaller is better
HP advertises full P3 coverage which we can confirm with our own independent measurements. Be sure to set the colors as needed via an HP menu by opening Command Center and then clicking 'Display Control' near the bottom left corner.
The OLED panel is not calibrated at factory likely because this isn't an EliteBook or professional laptop which is a shame because OLED is capable of reproducing accurate colors. Average grayscale and color deltaE values are nonetheless still very good at just 2.3 and 1.78, respectively.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2.16 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.96 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 5 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.8 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 1.9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.92 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.98 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 4 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (34.3 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 60.2 Hz | ≤ 100 % brightness setting |  |
The display backlight flickers at 60.2 Hz (Likely utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 100 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 60.2 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18704 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
Flickering is present on all brightness levels much like most other OLED laptop panels we've tested thus far. A frequency of 238 Hz is present from 0 to 37 percent brightness while 38 to 100 percent brightness would exhibit a frequency of 60 Hz.
Outdoor visibility remains the same as on the original since maximum brightness has not changed. Users may want to consider the 1000-nit IPS 1280p SKU if viewability is of utmost concern.
Performance — The 12th Gen Intel Difference
Testing Conditions
We set our unit to Performance mode via the HP Command Center software prior to running any benchmarks below. It's recommended that users become familiar with this software as the six power profile settings can be found here: Smart Sense (auto), Power Saver, Quiet, Cool, Balanced, and Performance.
Processor
CPU performance is excellent with multi-thread results that are faster than on the Inspiron 14 7420 2-in-1 or HP ProBook 450 G9 each equipped with the same Core i7-1255U CPU. Results are thankfully much closer to the Core i7-1260P or Core i7-1280P to be about 1.5x to 2x faster than the Core i7-1165G7 in last year's model.
We recommend avoiding the lower-end Core i5-1235U SKU as that option is barely any faster than the Core i7-1165G7.
Cinebench R15 Multi Loop
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
Geekbench 5.5: Multi-Core | Single-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
Geekbench 5.5: Multi-Core | Single-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
* ... smaller is better
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
System Performance
PCMark 10 scores are consistently higher than what we recorded on yesteryear's model sometimes by significant margins. We suspect the move to a newer generation CPU and PCIe4 storage instead of PCIe3 or Intel Optane are likely major contributors to the boost in PCMark 10 performance.
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
| CrossMark / Overall | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 12th Gen Intel | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1255U, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (1329 - 1573, n=8) | |
| CrossMark / Productivity | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 12th Gen Intel | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1255U, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (1364 - 1554, n=8) | |
| CrossMark / Creativity | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 12th Gen Intel | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1255U, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (1372 - 1660, n=8) | |
| CrossMark / Responsiveness | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 12th Gen Intel | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1255U, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (1117 - 1434, n=8) | |
| PCMark 10 Score | 5523 points | |
Help | ||
* ... smaller is better
DPC Latency
LatencyMon reveals DPC issues when opening multiple browser tabs on our homepage. 4K playback at 60 FPS is imperfect as well with 7 dropped frames during our minute-long test video.
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 | |
| HP Spectre x360 14-ea0378ng | |
| Framework Laptop 13.5 12th Gen Intel | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13 Ryzen 5 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga G1 20QB0016GE | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Devices
Our test unit ships with a 1 TB Micron 3400 (MTFDKBA1T0TFH) PCIe4 x4 NVMe SSD for very fast sequential read and write rates of about 6600 MB/s and 5000 MB/s, respectively. Though it's outgunned by the Western Digital SN850 especially in smaller block sizes, our system is nonetheless able to maintain the maximum transfer rates of the SSD for extended periods as shown by our DiskSpd loop results below.
