The coronavirus pandemic has shifted almost our entire lives online, with an August 2020 Ofcom report suggesting people were spending 40% of their day watching TV and online video services. With the UK now in its third lockdown and temperatures plummeting, that figure is only likely to have gone up.
HP is one of the manufacturers looking to take advantage of this increased appetite for content, with its refreshed 14in and 15in x360 laptop well optimised for entertainment. The company’s new convertibles are sporting only minor upgrades over their predecessors, but all will have benefits for watching media or gaming.
The big one is a move to Intel’s 11th-gen ‘Tiger Lake’ processors – both models have a choice of Core i3, i5 and i7 chips, while entry-level 14in configurations also offer Pentium chips. These combine with integrated UHD or Iris Xe graphics and up to 16GB of RAM for solid performance across the board. HP has also included a version of its Omen Gaming Hub, which displays performance in real time and allows you to customise keystrokes or lighting.
Both devices have also had a noticeable slimming of bezels. The 15in model now sports an impressive 88.92% screen-to-body ratio, while the 14in version isn’t far behind at 87.95%. They both have a full HD touchscreen and full-size keyboard, and there’s still space for a 720p webcam, although it doesn’t appear to have been upgraded.
As the name suggests, these laptops also have convertible functionality. The 360-degree hinge means the keyboard can easily be folded out of the way for a more immersive experience. The audio is tuned by Bang & Olufsen, with the 15in model sporting a dual-speaker setup.
Elsewhere, there’s the option for an SSD up to 1TB, Wi-Fi 6 and a fingerprint reader. Like with the regular Pavilion laptops, the x360 14 and 15 are made using post-consumer and ocean-bound recycled, as well as recycled aluminium.
The HP Pavilion x360 15 is available to pre-order now, starting at US$750 (approx. £540). The x360 14 will go on sale later in Spring, with pricing yet to be confirmed.
To see what they’ll be up against, check out our round-up of the best laptops you can currently buy.
Author: Anyron Copeman, Senior Staff Writer
As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.