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Once upon a time, Apple laptops had MagSafe power adapters, which magnetically attached to the side of their MacBooks instead of plugging into a socket. This mid-2000s innovation was a boon for those who used their laptops in cafes, airports or other places where someone might stumble on a rope and pull the computer out. laptop from a tower or table if its cord did not disconnect.
Fast forward a decade. MacBook computers and other high-end ultraportable computers, such as the HP Specter x360, have dramatically improved batteries that it's not necessary to plug in so often in public places. As a result, the magnetic plugs have largely fallen to the water. But the latest Specter x360, available from $ 1,149, shows that there is still a lot of innovation to be done to plug the cords into your laptop.
In fact, the idea of placing a USB-C port and a power button in the corners of the Specter x360 2018 was partly an afterthought. This unique port layout owes its existence to a flourishing design: HP wanted its new 2-in-1 convertible to look more like a precious faceted jewel. From the few minutes that HP has let me play with Specter x360, I'm not sure. This usually looks like an ordinary laptop with tiny pieces cut out in the upper left and right corners.
But the missing bits cause a very clever manipulation of ports and buttons. One of the main problems of connecting a device to a stylish convertible notebook is that the cord will almost always come out of the left or right edges of the ports, which will clutter your desktop to the best and will prevent as much as possible the external movements of the mouse. Ports can not usually be relegated to the back edge because the hinge needs this space to allow 360-degree rotation that converts the machine into a tablet.
Placing the plug in the corner solves both problems. This will not block mouse movements and will not hinder rotation. The power button, located in the other corner, is even more ingenious. Many 2-in-1 devices have power and volume buttons mounted on the sides that make it easy to turn the notebook on and off in tablet mode. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that you will frequently push them by accident when you hold the tablet. A button mounted in a corner solves this problem while making it accessible in tablet mode.
If only there were more than two back corners, HP could insert the rest of the ports and buttons there. For now, they are located in traditional places along the edges of laptops.
Other new features in the Spectrum x360 2018 update include 4G LTE connectivity through a gigabit modem and dual eSIM support. This places the x360 in the same class as Windows tablets such as Microsoft Surface Pro and Samsung Galaxy Book2, but the utility of the modem will depend on whether to register for a data service with US carriers.
One of the screen options is an extremely energy-efficient Full HD display, consuming only a single watt of power. This display technology, which Intel has unveiled earlier this year, is partly at the origin of HP's claim that the new 13-inch 13-inch Spectrum 13 will benefit from the new technology. autonomy of 22 hours. Other screen options include a 4K screen and SureView, an integrated electronic privacy filter that reduces viewing angles.
Processor options include the latest Intel Whiskey Lake generation processors, such as the Core i5-8265U quad-core. Other processor and configuration options will arrive in December.
HP has also updated the commercial equivalent of Specter x360, EliteBook x360 1040 G5 (shown above). Notable new features include an incredibly bright and glare-free 700 nits screen that, according to HP, will be easily visible on the outside, in daylight. The EliteBook, priced at $ 1,499, also includes the SureView and Gigabit LTE options, but not the single wedge power button and the USB-C port.
Finally, HP also introduced a new $ 329 EliteDisplay monitor, featuring a retractable webcam, and a $ 49 USB mouse with built-in fingerprint reader. Both will be available in December.
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