Dell's XPS 13 is No Longer the Only MacBook Air Killer, HP's Spectre x360 Comes Close

HP's latest addition to its laptop line, the Spectre x360, boasts of a slim build plus extreme portability. Doubling as a tablet with energy efficient features, HP appears to be gunning for Apple's MacBook line. Will HP be a direct rival to the Mac series? Can it perform past Dell's XPS to earn the MacBook-killer title or will both companies back out once Apple releases a new line?

For starters, the HP Spectre x360 comes with a 15.9mm thick build and 3.3 pounds of weight. People might not find its silver-gray style color making a statement but its under-the-hood configurations tell a different story. HP's Spectre x360 runs with an Intel Core i5 or i7 Broadwell processor, 4GB or 8GB RAM including SSD storage starting from 128GB to 512GB.

Likewise, the device comes with a 13.3-inch touchscreed 1080p or Quad HD resolution. What makes the Spectre x360 impressive is its display technology that allows it to refresh parts of it that are changing actively. The same technology allows HP to increase the battery life between 10 to 12.5 hours. At HP's briefing, the company also compared its latest laptop line to Apple's MacBook. This shows HP's current focus. As stated by Mike Nash, HP's vice president for portfolio strategy and customer experience, Personal Systems: "The HP Spectre x360 is transformational as it has the productivity of a high end notebook, tablet mode for on the go, tent mode for play and stand mode for watching entertainment in a stunning ultra-thin device."

Specifically, HP also explained in its press release how the Spectre is able to achieve 12.5 hours of battery life. "On models with the Quad HD display, the HP Spectre x360 takes advantage of Panel Self Refresh (PSR) technology which holds images on the screen to allow portions of the PC to power down when nothing on-screen is moving. As a result of these and other focus areas, the HP Spectre x360 delivers up to 12.5 hours of battery life."

Other features include an SD card readers, USB 3.0 ports, and HDMI port as well as Mini Display Port. The touch panel is incorporated optically to the display adding to the sheer look of the device. Standard models start from $899 and $1,399. Apple is also expected to release a refresh of its MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines but the company has not provided any details yet.

To report problems or leave feedback on this article, email: p.silva@ibtimes.com.au.