HP is introducing a redesigned Spectre x360 14 with Intel’s latest 11th generation processors inside, as well as a new 5G-connected version of its popular Spectre x360 13 2-in-1.
Also new for HP’s premium laptop lineup are the refreshed Envy 13 and Envy 13 x360 models, in addition to a refreshed Spectre x360 13, all with Intel’s latest processors inside. The devices are set to release either this fall or in early 2021.
Starting at $1,200 and coming later in October on HP.com and in November at BestBuy is the Spectre x360 14. This will be sold alongside the already popular x360 13 and brings the latest 11th-generation Intel Tiger Lake Core i7-1165G7 processor under the hood — while also delivering several design improvements.
Of note on this x360 14 is a new 3:2 aspect ratio on its 13.5-inch display. Thanks to this aspect ratio, the 2-in-1 now has 20% more vertical viewing space when compared to a traditional 16:9 laptop. It has an improved 90.33 % screen-too-body ratio, which means HP is able to fit the screen of a 15-inch laptop in a 13.5-inch form factor.
Just as expected, you’ll find it has an optional OLED display, which delivers a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and a 100% DCI-P3 wide color gamut for brighter, richer colors on the screen. An HP Rechargeable MPP 2.0 Tilt Pen in the nightfall black color is also included in the price for inking on the display. It now magnetically attaches to the side of the 2-in-1.
Elsewhere, HP increased the size of the touchpad on the x360 14 for fingers of all sizes. It’s now 16.6% larger. There’s even a new all-in-one keyboard on board, which is a first for the Spectre lineup. HP says the scissor mechanisms on this keyboard are made of recycled materials like eggshells and fruit peels. The savings equates to cutting the equivalent of 1,300 pounds of coal burned over the life span of the device.
This keyboard also has a dedicated mute mic button, and a button to digitally control a physical camera shutter for privacy. You’ll also find a dedicated button for HP’s Command Center and a fingerprint reader. A Thunderbolt 4 port in the side chamfer is new this year, too.
Under the hood, the Spectre x360 14 sports Intel’s new 11th-generation CPU and Iris XE integrated graphics. It provides what HP is claiming is a 34% CPU performance improvement and 79% GPU performance improvement over the last generation’s x360 13. RAM comes in at 16GB, and storage can be configured to a 1TB Intel PCIe nVME SSD with 32GB of Intel Optane memory. The combination should add up to up to 12 hours and 15 minutes of battery life, according to HP.
The Spectre x360 14 has several smart connected features, including HP Quick Drop, which lets users transfer files between Android and other operating systems. The laptop even has in-bag detection to avoid overheating or battery drain when in a bag.
Other software features include “Focus Mode,” which dims background apps when not in use, and A.I. noise removal, which eliminates background noises during video calls. And, in HP Command Center, there’s HP Smart Sense, which automatically adapts the system for performance, and Auto Color, which switches to the original color space.
With the HP Spectre x360 13, HP is introducing Intel’s latest 11th-generation processor to the model. Much like the Spectre x360 14, this device is said to see a 35% CPU performance gain over the previous generation. Battery life is also promised to be at around 16.5 hours.
It comes with options for Intel’s Core i5-1135G7 and 8GB of RAM, and up to a 512GB SSD. Display options include a 13.3-inch diagonal, 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) OLED panel. Pricing will start at $1,200, with availability set for October via HP.com and BestBuy.com in November.
A 5G model of the HP Spectre x360 13 will also be available in early 2021. However, this model is not coming with Intel’s latest 11th-generation processors. It will come with last year’s Ice Lake CPUs. But, not to be confused with the HP Dragonfly, HP is still calling it the brand’s first consumer 5G laptop. It will feature connectivity speeds 4 times faster than 4G LTE, and 2.8 times better coverage with HP’s Dynamic Range ability. Pricing was not shared.
Rounding out the fall lineup are the HP Envy 13 and the Envy x360 13. Both of these devices also get Intel’s 11th-generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor.
Highlights on the HP Envy 13 include an 88% screen-to-body ratio and support for Thunderbolt 4. The HP Envy x360 13, meanwhile, gets an all-in-one keyboard with a mute mic button, camera shutter button, and a fingerprint reader. It also has HP MPP 2.0 Tilt Pen support.
The HP Envy 13 will be available in October via HP.com with a starting price of $900. The HP Envy x360 13 will be available in November via HP.com for a starting price of $950 and is now available at BestBuy.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.