Even for someone who uses a MacBook, just a few minutes with HP's new Spectre 13 laptop is enough to have you seriously consider making the switch.
HP is calling Spectre 13 the "world's thinnest laptop," and seeing it in person reveals that this claim is not taken lightly. At just 10.4 mm thick, the laptop is as thin as an AAA battery. With its aluminum chassis and carbon fiber bottom, Spectre 13 weighs in at only 2.45 pounds. It's light enough to balance in one hand, and appears to be suitable for those who like to get work done while traveling, without weighing down their bag.
While it's impressive that this laptop is this thin, from a design perspective, Spectre 13 screams luxury. It features an ash silver color with copper accents, which are hand-polished to give it that expensive and jewelry-like feel. Open it up, and you will notice there are two piston hinges that mimic the way cabinets open and close. The hinges hide into the device, which helps make keep it so thin.
The HP logo also got a redesign to be more angular, a nice update for this premium line.
There is no denying it's a beauty, but that doesn't mean HP skimped out on packing it with power. Spectre 13 comes with either Intel's sixth-generation Core i5 or i7 processor with PCIe SSD with up to 512 GB with up to 8 GB of RAM. This is pretty impressive since a laptop this size typically features a less-powerful Core M processor.
However, you don't have to worry about the laptop overheating, because it includes a unique hyperbaric cooling system with two fans under the hood that push air out through the vents located on the back of the laptop.
Another reason why HP was able to keep Spectre 13 so thin is because it features a super thin 4-cell battery that still provides 38 wattage, giving up to nine hours and 45 minutes of battery life. It also has three USB ports, two of which support Thunderbolt for fast charging.
The 13.3-inch laptop has a 1920 by 1080p display with Corning Gorilla glass, but skipped on adding a touchscreen because it would add to its overall thickness. Even so, the colors are bright and vibrant — perfect for when you want to edit pictures or stream Netflix using its Bang & Olufsen with HP Audio Boost technology stereo speakers.
An HP spokesperson stated HP's Spectre 13 is for the consumer who is looking for cutting-edge technology and the next-best thing. Of course, HP believes that this ultra-thin laptop could dethrone the MacBook, mainly because it makes no compromises.
Spectre 13 features a keyboard and trackpad that provide an experience that closely matches working on a desktop. The keyboard is deep and really easy to type on, although the trackpad was a bit too sensitive to touch (coming from this comfortable MacBook user).
HP's latest laptop can be compared with Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air that is 0.68 inches thin and weighs 2.38 pounds, features fifth-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors and has up to 12 hours of battery life. The MacBook air starts at $999 to $1,199.
Preorders for HP's Spectre 13 start on April 25 for $1,169.99, and are expected to start shipping in late May. The "world's thinnest laptop" will then have a starting price of $1,249.99 when it goes on sale at Best Buy on May 22.
The MacBook Air might be cheaper, but design-wise, the Spectre 13 will give it a run for its money.
