A HP Envy 14 Spectre ultrabook is displayed at the Intel booth during the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 12, 2012.
A HP Envy 14 Spectre ultrabook is displayed at the Intel booth during the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 12, 2012. Reuters/Steve Marcus

Since Microsoft has claimed that there will be no Microsoft Surface Pro 5 in the near future, rival brands have been offered the opportunity to take the spotlight. The HP Spectre x2 tries to fill in the gap, a second-generation laptop that ups the specs the Surface Pro 4 currently has to offer.

For the record, HP is a familiar name in the laptop segment. It has its own share of hybrids, and the 2-in-1 device may just steal the thunder from the Surface Pro series. With Microsoft believing that the Surface Pro 4 is good for a couple of more years, the smalls steps the HP Spectre x2 in terms of features and specs could sway some buyers on their end.

The HP Spectre x2 ups the stakes a bit by pinning its hopes on the 7th generation Kaby Lake CPUs. Aside from that, it will come with Iris Plus graphics versions for the Core i5 and i7, embedded with 64 GB of DRAM. Both should ramp up the expectations as far as delivering high-resolution graphics – both for gaming and media viewing entertainment.

Other key features the HP Spectre x2 will carry include 16 GB of LPDDR3 RAM and SSD options of up to 1 TB PCIe. For the display, the HP Spectre x2 will offer a 12.3-inch screen (1920x1080 pixels), brighter which can accommodate up to 450 nits.

The HP Spectre x2 will also come with a pen technology plus a new IR camera in front, which should work well with Windows Hello authentication feature, PC World reports. For connectivity, the HP Spectre x2 comes with a pair of USB-C ports, DisplayPort and USB-PD charging. A 41-watt battery will be tasked to keep the 2-in-1 juiced up.

The HP Spectre x2 specs do offer a slight upgrade from the celebrated Microsoft Surface Pro 4, but the kicker is really in the price. The Core i5 base model of the HP Spectre x2 is priced at US$999 (AU$1,333). This would include 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 128GB SSD.

For those who want to move up a bit, there is the Core i7 model to consider. Priced at US$1,280 (AU$1,708), included are the Iris Plus graphics, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. Both models are expected to go on sale this June.

The flexible HP Spectre x2 hybrid should be worth checking out, especially for the ones yearning for a new 2-in-1 to use. With the Surface Pro 4 slowly aging, the HP Spectre x2 should be a keen alternative for folks hoping to see a new hybrid to get in the market.

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