At the SXSW Sydney event, HP has given the opportunity to try a laptop with the first foldable screen design from HP, the HP Specter Fold which is priced at RM23,999. This is HP's answer to the foldable screen computers offered by other competitors such as Lenovo. Obviously the price of almost RM24,000 for a laptop is very high. Much more expensive when compared to other computers in the Specter family.
Kong Koh Meng, Vice President & Head of HP's Greater Asia Personal Systems Category has given one of the reasons it is offered at a high price is because the Specter Fold is a combination of a premium laptop and a large-sized tablet, in addition to bringing a foldable screen device format in an all- in-one.
Koh Meng also stated that this is HP's first generation product that tries to solve the problem of not having to carry multiple devices at a time. If the response to this laptop is good, they may consider offering a more affordable version.
SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN
HP Specter Foldable 17-cs0097nr
17″ OLED 2.5K screen (1920 x 2560), Touch screen,
SDR 400 nits, HDR 500 nits
CPU Intel Core i7-1250U, 4.7 GHz + Intel Turbo Boost Technology
12 MB L3 cache, 10 cores
Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics GPU
RAM 16 GB LPDDR5-5200 MHz RAM
Storage 1 TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe TLC M.2 SSD
Primary Camera 5MP HP True Vision + AI
I/O 2x USB-C Thunderbolt 4
1x 5 PIN (on keyboard)
Battery 94.3 Wh, 6-cell
100W USB-PD, 50% in 45 minutes
SIM/Telephony None
WiFi/Bluetooth Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (2×2)
Bluetooth 5.3
No Audio Jack
Waterproof None
Human Presence Detection Scan System with AI camera
Sale Price RM23,999 – Sale Starts November 20
Last year Asus Malaysia brought in the ASUS ZenBook 17 Fold OLED but the supply was very limited and now it is no longer sold. This makes HP the next laptop manufacturer in Malaysia trying to dominate the local market in the foldable screen laptop category. The ZenBook 17 Fold OLED has roughly the same specifications as the Specter Fold 17 but weighs 1.99kg. The Specter Fold 17 weighs 1.35kg and 1.62kg with the keyboard. It is also the thinnest at 0.84 cm compared to the ASUS 1.29 cm.
HP uses a "U" shaped hinge to provide space for the wireless keyboard to be stored when the laptop is folded. The exterior surface of the Specter Foldable uses a dull Slate Blue finish but is very easy to catch fingerprints. A bit odd here as the dull finish is supposed to solve this kind of dirt issue.
On the left side there is a speaker grille and four square shaped rubber pads for it to stand on its own in AIO desktop mode. In addition to providing friction to the table surface to prevent it from sliding down, it also protects the left side of the Specter Foldable from long-term scratches.
The volume rocker and the first USB-C port are on the right while at the top there is a power button and a privacy switch to turn off the camera. At the bottom is a long, oval-shaped rubber pad like most laptops, only it can be turned into a stick to stand the Specter Foldable on a table. Quite a clever solution because on competitors like the ThinkPad X1 Fold that needs an additional frame to be a stick.
Specter Foldable stick-cum-rubber liner
USAGE EXPERIENCE
I was very excited when I was able to touch this laptop the same way I felt when I first used the Oppo Find N two years ago. The Specter Fold has four modes which are a normal 12.3″ laptop and a dual-screen mode with one 12.3″ screen on top with a secondary small screen above the keyboard, tablet mode and a 17″ AIO.
The hinge of the Specter Foldable is quite strong and pulls it open, the folds are not very visible. It doesn't matter if using a dark background image or a light background image. Even folding and closing it also gives a satisfying feeling. The touch screen support is not very smooth for me because the refresh rate is only 60Hz.
But by using the stylus provided with every purchase it feels smoother as if drawing and writing on the iPad Air M1. The screen quality is very beautiful, again with IMAX Enhanced support which according to HP is currently limited to Disney+ only (not Hotstar). It's a shame the screen brightness is limited to 500 nits which means it's only suitable for indoor use. Under brighter sunlight the contents cannot be clearly seen.
The Specter Fold has good specs launching multiple apps or opening multiple windows at once is on par with other premium productivity laptops. The only lag issue I'm having is when the keyboard is placed on the second half of the screen for the 12.3″ mode and the 14″ mode. Windows 11 takes a few seconds to change the screen resolution which is the same problem that happened on the first generation Samsung Galaxy Z Fold.
Talking about the keyboard, what HP has to offer is different from the rest as it supports wireless charging above the screen and also supports fast charging with their 5-pin magnetic cable and USB-C. The keyboard also has a smooth built-in touchpad, but it's a bit small and takes a little time to get used to. In terms of audio, the Bang & Olufsen speakers are still not satisfactory and I believe HP can offer better audio for the second generation later.
I didn't get to test the battery life but HP claims with Intel Evo technology it can last up to 12.5 hours which is comparable to most other premium productivity laptops. It also supports 100W USB PD fast charging that can charge up to 50% in 45 minutes.
Lastly is the AI security system that HP uses such as being able to turn on the screen when it detects human presence and lock the screen when it is left. It can also warn the user if someone else is lurking behind. This feature uses a 5MP HP True Vision camera with an infrared sensor. This AI system can also track the user's hand for gesture control such as pausing/playing media and scrolling the screen as if having the power of the Force.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
This is what HP gives with every Specter Fold 17 purchase.
1x HP Specter Foldable 17-cs0097nr.
1x USB-C 100W Charger with cable.
1x USB-C 5-pin magnetic cable for keyboard.
1x Wireless keyboard.
1x Stylus HP Rechargeable MPP2.0 Tilt Pen.
CONCLUSION
HP told me the Specter Fold isn't targeted for all users. The opposite is only for die-hard tech enthusiasts who want to try new innovations and they own a lot of devices but find it tiring to carry them all at once.
If you belong to this category of users, the HP Specter Fold is worth owning. It can also be used to show luxury to friends who use a MacBook Pro whose price can also reach more than RM20,000.
PROS And Advantages
Thin and light design.
A beautiful screen without obvious creases with IMAX Enhanced.
A bluetooth keyboard that can also be charged wirelessly.
Provides flexibility for use in a variety of situations.
A battery that can last up to 12.5 hours.
CONS And Disadvantages
The screen is not bright enough and is limited to 60Hz.
Limited amount of I/O.
Not powerful enough for heavy editing work.
Windows 11 is still not mature enough for devices like this.
Very expensive price.