HP’s Envy x360 and Spectre x360 laptops get a hybrid working refresh
The canny convertible collection gets Intel and AMD power bumps
Are you one of the millions that managed to ditch a permanent desk last year and get in on the work-from-anywhere hybrid life? Then HP reckons you need a hybrid laptop that’s just as flexible – but still delivers the teleconferencing chops needed to stay in touch with the office. Enter the updated line of Envy x360 and Spectre x360 2-in-1s.
The mix of mid-tier and flagship foldables have all been updated with the latest Intel or AMD internals, webcams that track your head to always keep you in frame when on a video chat, and beamforming mics for better sound.
Things kick off with the Envy x360, which can be had in 13.3in and 15.6in screen sizes. The former gets a 12th-gen Intel Core CPU, while the latter can be equipped with a Core i7 or an AMD Ryzen 7. Both have fold-flat hinges and touchscreen support, along with handwriting recognition (and a stylus bundled in the box).
Either one could free you from a mains socket: HP reckons you should see up to 20.5 hours of battery life depending on usage. USB-C fast charging also promises a 50% top-up in 45 minutes.
Both the 13.3-inch and 15.6-inch models start at $849.99 (around £700), but there’s no word on UK prices just yet.
Ghost in the machine
For something a bit more premium, there’s the Spectre x360 13.5 and Spectre x360 16. Both get slicker, curvier styling, Gorilla Glass protection for their screens, and the choice of LCD or OLED panels.
The smaller model packs an Intel U-series mobile chip for superior battery life, but the beefier 16in model finds room for a Core i7-12700H, up to 32GB of RAM and as much as 2TB of NVMe storage. There’s also an Intel ARC A370M GPU onboard, which should please creative types – or anyone looking to squeeze in a bit of casual gaming during their lunchbreak.
All the new models are on sale directly from HP in the US. Prices start at $1250 (around £1000) for the Spectre x360 13.5, and $1650 (about (£1300) for the Spectre x360 16. Expect a UK launch imminently, but there’s no word on exact pricing just yet.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
