HP's new Specter x360 16 laptop is all-in on Intel

HP has made some minor innovations in its Specter and Envy lines. Several of these consumer devices, in different price ranges, have been updated with new processors – 12th Gen Core chips on the Intel side and Ryzen 5000 chips on the AMD side.

A few devices also have new GPUs, including the Specter x360 16. This device, the flagship of HP’s beautiful, expensive, premium Specter line, was previously powered by Intel’s 11th-generation processors and either Iris Xe integrated graphics or Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3050. This year’s processors are from Intel’s new 12th-generation line, and the discrete GPU option is Intel’s brand-new Arc A370M. It’s Intel all the way down.

This isn’t necessarily the most exciting announcement in the world as far as the Specter x360 goes. We don’t expect the A370M to make a huge performance difference to the RTX 3050. Intel has estimated that the 3 Series will double the power of Intel’s integrated Xe graphics, which doesn’t make a particularly heavy GPU.

Still, the appearance of Arc GPUs in such a highly regarded mainstream machine is an interesting stamp of approval for Intel’s new Arc line. (We’ve referred to multiple Specter x360 machines as the very best Windows laptops in their category. No one does the premium convertible like HP.) It’s the latest good sign that Intel is actually making and shipping these graphics chips.

Elsewhere, the Specter x360 16 can be configured with up to an Intel Core i7-12700H, 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. There are two resolution options: a 3072 x 1920 400-nit touchscreen with optional anti-glare glass and a 3840 x 2400 OLED anti-glare touchscreen that also reaches 400 nits. The device is expected to be available today for a starting price of $1,649.99.

Here’s the 13.3-inch Envy x360.

Other devices to be refreshed include the Specter x360 13.5, a follow-up to both the Specter x360 13 and Specter x360 14 models from recent years. No discrete GPU in this one, but it is verified through Intel’s Evo platform with its new 12th generation processors. Several members of the Envy line have also received chip bumps, including the Envy x360 13 and Envy x360 15 (available in both AMD and Intel models) as well as the clamshell Envy 16 (also available with an Arc GPU and an RTX 3060) and Envy 17.

Here’s the Envy 17.

Across the board, the devices are equipped with 5MP cameras that support various AI features, such as HP’s GlamCam, which tries to make you look better during video calls in real time. They also come with a number of new software, including HP Palette, “a proprietary digital workspace to simplify the creative flow,” and HP QuickDrop, which makes it easier to transfer files between devices.

Aspect ratios are everywhere: the Envy x360 15 and Envy 17 are both 16:9, while the Envy x360 13 and Envy 16 are 16:10. The Specter x360 16 is also 16:10 and the Specter x360 13 is 3:2 (just like its spectacular 14-inch predecessor). All Intel models have two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and the 15-inch, 16-inch and 17-inch models all have HDMI 2.1. The Specters and the Envy x360 13 all have microSD readers, while the rest of the Envys have full-sized SD card slots.

And here’s the 15.6-inch Envy x360 (Intel model).

The Specter x360 13.5 starts at $1,249.99. The Envy x360 13, Envy x360 15, Envy 16 and Envy 17 start at $899, $849, $1,399.99 and $1,099.99, respectively. All models are expected to be available sometime today.

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