HP Spectre Folio 13-AK0801en

Specifications

Pricecompare

Reviews for the HP Spectre Folio 13-AK0801en

80% Test HP Spectre Folio
Source: Tek.no NO→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 11/04/2018
Rating: Total score: 80%

Comment

Model: There are times where I can't make a decision about a laptop. Especially if your job is to test, analyse and see if they are good or not. Spectre Folio series is a good mixture in terms of 2-in-1s. But are they really worth the money?

I think if you are going for a convertible, 13.3 inch is just the right size and the Spectre Folio checks this mark. But in terms of hardware, it is a bit disappointing. However, my disappointment may not affect you and this is what gives me hard time making a decision.

Let me say it out loud, with 8 GB of RAM and a 8500Y processor, this device is not a compact powerhouse; not even close. Therefore the purpose of your purchase should be the main decision point here. Because with the same price, you can get even better subnotebooks. Will they be as sleek as Folio? I am not sure. Will they have the same 2-in-1 possibility as the Folio 13? I don’t think so. That’s again brings me to point about making your mind up about why you want this laptop.

As an Asus Zenbook user, I would have liked to have a 2-in-1 option as I want to read stuff without needing the keyboard in front of me and unfortunately I can’t do that. Folio 13 gives you the opportunity. You can use it in tent mode, tablet mode (still in the sleeve) and as a regular laptop. But compared to my Asus, it does not deliver the performance I need for my daily tasks.

But then for who is this laptop for? I think for business people it would be a good fit. Checking emails, doing video conferences, taking notes, reading etc. etc. Besides that, since the processor is ULV and the GPU is not a dedicated one, video editing is out of question. You can develop software with it of course, but expect some glitches.

The Folio 13 has a pretty strong rival; new MacBook Air models. Their pricing is similar, their specs is similar. I am sure Windows fans will pick the Spectre 13 and corporate companies can favor Windows in terms of management too. But if you are up against MacBook Air, is being a 2-in-1 enough?

Before making a purchase, consider these questions: Where do you do most of your reading? Your smartphone, tablet or laptop? Do you need more power or are you a light user? Do you need longevity as the MacBook Air provides or are you looking for something that looks luxurious?

Above questions should give you a hindsight about what I am trying to explain. It is not cheap, it is not a budget laptop, so think carefully.

Hands-on article by Ümit Yılmaz Güneş

Intel UHD Graphics 615: Integrated graphics card in some Amber Lake Y-series processors (5 Watt TDP) with 24 EUs (GT2) and no dedicated graphics memory. Clocks with up to 1000 MHz depending on the CPU Model. 

Non demanding games should be playable with these graphics cards.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.

i7-8500Y: Extremely efficient ULV-SoC (System-on-a-Chip) for tablets and fanless notebooks based on the Amber Lake architecture which is basically a Kaby Lake chip produced in the improved 14nm+ process (no 14nm++) with higher clock speeds and 5 Watt TDP. Includes two CPU cores clocked at 1.5 - 4.2 GHz with Hyper Threading support as well as a graphics adapter. Fastest Amber Lake-Y chip at the time of announcement.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.

13.30":

There are hardly any tablets in this display size range anymore. For subnotebooks, on the other hand, it is the standard format.

The advantage of subnotebooks is that the entire laptop can be small and therefore easily portable. The smaller display also has the advantage of requiring less power, which further improves battery life and thus mobility. The disadvantage is that reading texts is more strenuous on the eyes. High resolutions are more likely to be found in standard laptops.

HP: Founded in 1939, the US company is a major server and printer manufacturer and one of the leading IT companies in the world. Until 2015, the company was called Hewlett-Packard Company. After a split, the computer division was renamed HP Inc.

In 2023, HP had an approximate market share of 22% of global PC sales, making it number 2 after Lenovo.

80%: This rating is not earth-shattering. This rating must actually be seen as average, since there are about as many devices with worse ratings as better ones. A purchase recommendation can only be seen with a lot of goodwill, unless it is about websites that generally rate strictly.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

Similar devices with the Same Specs

Devices from a different Manufacturer and/or with a different CPU

Devices with the same GPU

Devices with Same Screen Size and/or Weight