My 15" 2020 Spectre has arrived! For those interested, I ordered June 25, it was shipped July 11, and it arrived July 20.
I thought I would post a few pics that I would have found helpful regarding the size and color, especially since there aren't many of the 15" Poseidon Blues out there yet (I had actually ordered when it first came out at the beginning of June, but cancelled when I realized the 340 nit version wasn't the low power IPS screen then reordered the 400 nit version). I used a 2015 15" MacBook Pro for comparison. The Poseidon Blue is quite dark and the lighting really matters. When my wife saw it, she said "I thought it was supposed to be blue", haha. I really like it, and especially like the silvery brass edges.
Also, a few people have asked about pens. I have a Surface Pro 4 from 2016 and a Surface Pen I bought at the same time. My Spectre arrived with the HP Pen (not the HP Tilt Pen). It's similar in size to the Surface Pen -- slightly thinner and slightly less weight. I think it'll be very comfortable to write with. Using a button to erase instead of an eraser at the other end like with the Surface Pen will take a little getting used to, but will prevent me from having to flip the pen upside down every time I make a mistake.
The pics I posted include one showcasing both pens in the Whiteboard app. The Surface Pen seems less prone to waviness when drawing diagonal lines slowly, but has less pressure sensitivity. I know this isn't that useful since the Surface Pen I have is outdated, but I figured I'd throw it out there in case someone was curious.
Nope, it’s the 8th gen i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD Link here: https://slickdeals.net/f/10772935-black-friday-deal-at-bb-hp-spectre-x360-999
The model you mentioned is also on sale for 949 usd. But this is a better deal at 999 usd.
No...not if you're in the US at the very least as seen in this article.
They have to prove that the equipment broke because you opened it, and since you're improving it, that would be a hard thing.
I did some research on this because I was planning to buy a refurbished spectre that didn't come with a pen. From watching tests on youtube I think the Raphael 520 is one of the best in terms of straight lines and pressure levels. I also personally like the simplicity and slimness of it and the price is nothing to complain about.
They very recently released a bluetooth version Raphael 520BT that's pretty much the same thing but with USB-C (biggest upgrade in my opinion) and a button like a lot of other styluses have on the back. A bit more expensive though.
I'm yet to buy a spectre so I have no experience with this pen it just looks promising. Do your own research into comparisons as well.
I forgot to mention I toggled this option and was still stuck at 30 Hz. I'll need to try again with a different dock. I've only found one that works with the spectre x360 14 from all the ones I have, but have been using it with 1080p monitors without realizing the 4k limitation (https://www.amazon.com/Displayport-Ethernet-Multiport-Different-Displays/dp/B082KMKQQX/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-nc-drs1_0?cv_ct_cx=LASUNEY&dchild=1&keywords=LASUNEY&pd_rd_i=B082KMKQQX&pd_rd_r=b86cdf5a-c10c-4055-868a-0055a0ffc2c2&pd_rd_w=BR5Ol&pd_rd_wg=JTMvl&pf_rd_p=a64002b9-9c26-4361-b8a1-b0f5a4835670&pf_rd_r=244HNTD0EDRGVEV9X018&psc=1&qid=1609725329&sr=1-1-38d0a374-3318-4625-ad92-b6761a63ecf6). I have a spectre x360 kaby lake refresh that works with all my docks fine. It's kind of annoying how finnicky the 14's output is.
any of the newer (actually on sale, not kickstarter etc) GaN-based chargers should do the trick.
example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088666T68/ or https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083ZBXXN5/
You want those because smaller/lighter vs standard tech.
I had to manually set up a program to use the Vega gpu what I done was right clicked the desktop and went into the radeon settings if you look around you will eventually find a list of programs which have been assigned to the gpu and what type of performance is required. I had to manually direct it to the program (I used a shortcut but the exe is probably a safer choice) and had it set to high performance. After that I saw a much greater performance as the program was no longer using the Intel graphics. If you've tried that already and it didn't work then I've got no idea because that's what worked for me.
You can also actually tell what gpu the program uses if you have this program installed I use it for checking how hot the laptop is getting but I noticed if a GPU isn't in use it shows the temperature as 0°C https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html
Split your widescreen to 6 different zones for 6 different apps is what I love. It is a collection of tools that are free, provided by Microsoft.
-Recomend getting a usb c portable monitor! I got this one, it's light, thin and pretty awesome for multitasking. If you plug in an amazon fire stick into a monitor/tv you can also connect wirelessly to it though this is more of a gimick (also keep in mind 2 monitors drains your battery a lot faster if you're not plugged in def something I noticed when working on the go): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZLY26FW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
-a webcam could be useful since the one on the laptop is far from HD but if you dont have a lot of tele work then that's not very important
-get a dock/usb hub this one works well form me and is pretty cheap (actually had an issue that customer service helped me promptly resolve) TOTU USB C Hub,9-In-1 Type C Hub... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FX2LW35?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
-also if you game/or run more visually demanding programs you could get a usb c external graphics card though that is going to cost you a pretty penny but works really well (I got the razor core x and gtx 1070 and that's helped boost the render times and fps substantially) the cpu is a beast and this helps make up for the meh integrated graphics
All in all very satisfied with this laptop, think you'll enjoy it.
I bought the predecessor (now discontinued) model to this hub and I haven't looked back. No SD though.
the graphics will depend on your model of specter as there are several now with various strength graphics cards.
HTML cable will get you to 60fps if you will need something like this cable to or a dock to get the 75fps your monitor supports, assuming your monitor has a display port.
Yea I know I didn't realize until after, https://www.amazon.com/MightySkins-Skin-Spectre-x360-Protective/dp/B08JZJC6VM/ref=pd_cart_vw_crc_2_1/136-7978148-2289243?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B08JZJC6VM&pd_rd_r=8c7dbcdb-55ac-47fb-883f-8988bb149cfa&pd_rd_w=ZjFc0&pd_rd_wg=SSn7j&pf_rd_p=01004c92-8f40-4f1a-bee8-08cb36dccac2&pf_rd_r=1P1RSKQG00XKGNPA6H8P&psc=1&refRID=1P1RSKQG00XKGNPA6H8P
I don't mean to be obvious, but if the laptop comes with a 65W charger then that it what it needs to charge at full speed. 30W is NOT enough. There are several chargers with 60 or 65W power delivery that come with a USB a charging port as well on Amazon. This one took me 2 minutes to find: https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Charger-Delivery-Smartphones/dp/B01MS9CTB7/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1525366852&sr=8-6&keywords=usb+c+charger+65w. I have no idea if it is any good.
Honestly, it was cheaper than the other two I tried unless you add the cost of the graphics card. First I tried a Caldigit TS3, which worked perfectly except for that it didn't charge my laptop. I got frustrated and bought the HP Thunderbolt 3 dock, and it worked fine. I just eventually decided I wanted an eGPU too.
USB C Hub, USB C Docking Station, QGeeM 12 in 1 Triple Display Type C Hub to Dual 4K HDMI & DP,USB C to USB Adapter,100W PD, Gigabit Ethernet, USB C Card Reader,USB Docking Station https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082WT3FL4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_69NzFb6QN8JP9
12-1 the dp will run 4K @ 60 through one monitor connection if u have two monitors connected then can only reach 4K @30
If gestures are your primary concern, have you tried the Microsoft touch mouse? I have one and gestures are pretty good on it. https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-3KJ-00001-Touch-Mouse/dp/B005ZG0IME?th=1
I had horrible problems w/ my spectre 360 waking up all the #$%^& time. Sent it back to HP a couple times, bla bla bla, and they couldn't figure it out. Well, IT DROVE ME CRAZY so I finally figured it out and I hope it helps you.
Go to Device Manager > Network Adapters > Advanced tab and disable the [Wake on Magic Packet] and the [Wake on Pattern Match]. Sidenote, I also disabled the Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network) and ExpressVPN TAP Adapter in Network Adapters b/c I don't use them. It's not the bluetooth you use, that's something else.
Go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Change Power Plans > Change advanced power settings > Sleep and disable the options in Allow wake timers.
For some reason, the laptop was always connecting/disconnecting when it was going to sleep. I have 2 external monitors that both have built in speakers. WTF knows why but it was always disconnecting/connecting to one of the monitors speakers while going to sleep. So on the bottom right corner of the task bar, there's a little volume icon. Right-click and choose [Sounds] > Playback tab and I right-clicked to disable the monitor speakers. It worked. I also disable the Realtek(R) Audio in the Sound, video and game game controllers in the Device Manager b/c you don't need it if you also have Intel or NVIDIA.
Also, I'm not sure if you have dual external monitors but for some reason, whenever I opened a web page, especially Netflix or Amazon Prime, my computer basically stopped. Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper laggy. I found out it's a anti-piracy thing where the site thinks dual monitors are 2 computers and basically halts your computer. There's no way around it but all you need to do is unplug one monitor and plug it back in and your laptop will work as normal again.
I had horrible problems w/ my spectre 360 waking up all the #$%^& time. Sent it back to HP a couple times, bla bla bla, and they couldn't figure it out. Well, IT DROVE ME CRAZY so I finally figured it out and I hope it helps you.
Go to Device Manager > Network Adapters > Advanced tab and disable the [Wake on Magic Packet] and the [Wake on Pattern Match]. Sidenote, I also disabled the Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network) and ExpressVPN TAP Adapter in Network Adapters b/c I don't use them. It's not the bluetooth you use, that's something else.
Go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Change Power Plans > Change advanced power settings > Sleep and disable the options in Allow wake timers.
For some reason, the laptop was always connecting/disconnecting when it was going to sleep. I have 2 external monitors that both have built in speakers. WTF knows why but it was always disconnecting/connecting to one of the monitors speakers while going to sleep. So on the bottom right corner of the task bar, there's a little volume icon. Right-click and choose [Sounds] > Playback tab and I right-clicked to disable the monitor speakers. It worked. I also disable the Realtek(R) Audio in the Sound, video and game game controllers in the Device Manager b/c you don't need it if you also have Intel or NVIDIA.
Also, I'm not sure if you have dual external monitors but for some reason, whenever I opened a web page, especially Netflix or Amazon Prime, my computer basically stopped. Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper laggy. I found out it's a anti-piracy thing where the site thinks dual monitors are 2 computers and basically halts your computer. There's no way around it but all you need to do is unplug one monitor and plug it back in and your laptop will work as normal again.
I had horrible problems w/ my spectre 360 waking up all the #$%^& time. Sent it back to HP a couple times, bla bla bla, and they couldn't figure it out. Well, IT DROVE ME CRAZY so I finally figured it out and I hope it helps you.
Go to Device Manager > Network Adapters > Advanced tab and disable the [Wake on Magic Packet] and the [Wake on Pattern Match]. Sidenote, I also disabled the Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network) and ExpressVPN TAP Adapter in Network Adapters b/c I don't use them. It's not the bluetooth you use, that's something else.
Go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Change Power Plans > Change advanced power settings > Sleep and disable the options in Allow wake timers.
For some reason, the laptop was always connecting/disconnecting when it was going to sleep. I have 2 external monitors that both have built in speakers. WTF knows why but it was always disconnecting/connecting to one of the monitors speakers while going to sleep. So on the bottom right corner of the task bar, there's a little volume icon. Right-click and choose [Sounds] > Playback tab and I right-clicked to disable the monitor speakers. It worked. I also disable the Realtek(R) Audio in the Sound, video and game game controllers in the Device Manager b/c you don't need it if you also have Intel or NVIDIA.
Also, I'm not sure if you have dual external monitors but for some reason, whenever I opened a web page, especially Netflix or Amazon Prime, my computer basically stopped. Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper laggy. I found out it's a anti-piracy thing where the site thinks dual monitors are 2 computers and basically halts your computer. There's no way around it but all you need to do is unplug one monitor and plug it back in and your laptop will work as normal again.
I got mine for $999 Black Friday last year. The laptop had just come out and MSRP was $1400. I'd say wait if you can at least to see what's being offered.
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TsuLin SH03XL Laptop Battery... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086X4GCT7?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Laptop is from 2016. I played the Witcher 3 for like 3 hours a day on it on top of a pillow for the first year and found that the battery was crap after that. Then again at the end of my extended warranty I think I got it replaced because i figured why not, it was close to 80% health wise.
Then I guess I’m on my 4th now because it would die super fast, battery health sometimes said 80%, sometimes said 40% so I replaced it with this Amazon one which has been the best battery so far.
Laptop is almost 6 years old now, a $40 battery to have another couple hours of life a day has been 100% worth the investment
So it's between the version listed and this that someone is selliny for 1300
Was wondering which you think is better
https://www.amazon.com/HP-2-Touch-Screen-Nightfall-15-EB0053DX/dp/B08CL1XX4X
So it's between the version listed and this that someone is selliny for 1300
Was wondering which you think is better
https://www.amazon.com/HP-2-Touch-Screen-Nightfall-15-EB0053DX/dp/B08CL1XX4X
So it's between the version listed and this that someone is selliny for 1300
Was wondering which you think is better
https://www.amazon.com/HP-2-Touch-Screen-Nightfall-15-EB0053DX/dp/B08CL1XX4X
Honestly, I’d just pick up a third party 65w USB C brick from a manufacturer like Anker, and get a heavy duty USB C cable with an LED . Trust make a 65w nano that’s much more compact than the OEM charger.
Question is, do they work with the Spectra? Thanks.
Kudos to your skills for doing this, but HP already sells this exact combo cable for their workstation lines for over 4 years now. The thinking was back then that since TB3 maxes Power Delivery at 100W and the graphics cards and CPU load combined exceeded that, this cable solved that issue.
https://www.amazon.com/HP-Inc-Thunderbolt-Power-Cable/dp/B01LSAI25K
This is what’s in mine right now and feels better than the HP one’s life wise. It’s not recognized as an HP battery by the HP Support Assistant, but I only know that because I was curious if it was. Other than that works great.
I just got this 100w charger on amazon (with 4 ports, 2 A and 2 C) and it works great!
This is what’s in mine. Feel like it’s better than the 2 HP ones I had in it in between, though it was not recognized by the HP Support software.
Found it
https://alternativeto.net/software/sunsetscreen/about/
It's paid tho so keep that in mind, but it covers the cursor and offers a lot of extra features.
There was a sale at Office Depot the other day. I actually got a pretty sweet deal as far as SB2's go:
I used the coupon to get it to that price, but the tax brought it up to $2,040. I used eBates 3% off @ Office Depot to get $60 more off. And eBates fucked up once and didn't register a previous purchase, so they gave me an additional $100 back. So all in all, I knocked off the tax and paid $1,880 for the 13.5" model with i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD, and GTX 1050 2GB.
Just an FYI, although it's a little pricey, the Yoga 920 has TB3 4-lane ports, so you could hook up an external GPU for when you're at your desk. I already have a gaming rig I built with a Ryzen 5 1600X and GTX 1080. So while I didn't want Intel UHD graphics, I also didn't need a beefy GPU. The 2GB GTX 1050 in the SB2 is more than fine for me; it only kicks in when you force it to or if an app (like a game or Photoshop) calls for it. But I made sure at Best Buy that the Intel UHD 620 works fine for everyday use, and I didn't see or feel any of the stutter that I did on the Spectre (I also didn't notice any lag/stutter on the 4K Yoga 920, btw).
Another thing to consider (since you're basically paying Apple-tax pricing for the SB2, even with the discount) is that the screens are factory calibrated, so they should be accurate for photo/video editing as far as color reproduction.
Returning it. They're buying it back from me (because it's outside of the 30 days of the original one I had, but within 30 days of when I received the replacement). I bought a Surfacebook 2 when it was on sale at Office Depot the other day. There are just way too many issues with it.
As far as deals, the closest competitor is the Yogabook 920 from Lenovo. It's on sale at Best Buy for $1300 for 4K, i7-8550U, 512GB SSD, and 16GB RAM: https://slickdeals.net/f/11523019-1-349-99-lenovo-yoga-920-2-in-1-13-9inch-4k-intel-core-i7-16gb-memory-512gb-ssd-platinum . If you can deal with 8GB and 256GB instead (while keeping the i7 and 4K), Best Buy has that model on sale for $1,000.
I played with one at Best Buy and didn't like the lack of microSD card slot, and the inferior keyboard (more plasticky and shallow), but the screen is 14 inches and it also comes with the active pen in the box for the 4K models. The battery is also larger (70-72Whr vs 60WHr on the Spectre x360).
Here's the UK listing for the powerbank and charger: Anker Power Bank, PowerCore III Elite 19200 60W Portable Charger with 65W PD Charger, PIQ 3.0 Power Bank Bundle for USB C Dell XPS, iPad Pro, iPhone 12/11/mini/Pro, and More https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08P4J2Z7R/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_6NWFW91H58TA0TMF7SVQ
Here's just the charger: Anker USB C Charger, 65W PIQ 3.0 PPS Fast Charger, PowerPort III Pod, for Dell XPS 13, Galaxy S20 / S10, Note 10+ /10, iPhone 11 / Pro/XR/Xs/X, iPad Pro, Pixel, and More https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B088TNQYJQ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_RJHAPGB36Y8Q6CTSJEWR
I'm pretty sure they're available in the US too, happy to help you find them if you need
It's not a hard case or anything, but the 13T fits nice and snug in this one and would definitely be better than nothing. It also has a zipper pocket on the side that can hold a surprizing amount of stuff in it. I would recomend placing the laptop in this sleeve case to the screen is facing the side with the pocket.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W9DMLTR/
I had the same issue a few months back. This is the battery I got from Amazon. For best performance, follow the conditioning. Fully charge it, then fully discharge it to less than 10%. Repeat 2x. I'm getting about 8 hours of runtime (surfing, MS Office use, some videos, just general stuff), with the screen at 50% brightness.
I found this article that is exactly what I'm looking for but am hesitant to use it at the moment for fear it may break something else. Will try at some point though. I'm hoping to hear from someone who actually used this to create that option in advanced power options.
https://winaero.com/blog/add-networking-connectivity-in-standby-to-power-options-in-windows-10/
This is the screen I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y6VYPFN/
The replacement was fine, no resources aside from the tiny tools used to open various things. It's a delicate process, and I did mess something up based on the power button working intermittently.
The battery would be a good step, I'd just be careful near motherboard components. I'm glad you haven't had display issues again. Cooling fans help immensely if your Spectre runs hot. I can vouch for this one personally and it's quietness
havit HV-F2056 15.6"-17" Laptop Cooler Cooling Pad - Slim Portable USB Powered (3 Fans), Black/Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NNMB3KS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glc_fabc_WVR0P976B575Y3JTCBHY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I have an IPS and get 6-8 hrs when working on the laptop. That means I have it on highest brightness, cause the display is not too bright in the daylight and I run MSTeams, Citrix Receiver and am Browsing. The CPU I use in a balanced mode then, so at 50%. The CPU is pretty effective, except for the turbo spikes, if you can get rid of those, it will be almost at its energy efficiency peak.
If you'ld only use it for browsing and word, I think you'll get nearer to the 8 hrs. In my case, I am nearer to 6 hrs.
I guess Windows manages the overall energy efficiency pretty good if you change nothing to the OS. Yet the turbo boost surges, increase the laptops overall heat dissipation when running. If you limit the CPU to 2,6 Ghz base freq, it will stay around 48 - 50 °C. With turbo boost on its more often at 60 °C.
A good tool to monitor all of that for windows is this: https://github.com/ArcadeRenegade/SidebarDiagnostics
But be aware the tool itself can have an impact on the cpu freq and falsify the measurement.
In Linux I do the same and get the same results. There I have 8-9 Watts when idling with WLAN and highest brightness (alone the dedicated nvidia GPU draws 3-5 watts on idle, you cant do nothing about). Given its 78 Wh battery that would be then 8 - 10 hours. If I run all my programs (and a virtual machine I use in Linux on 1 Cpu @ 512 MB Ram), it will draw 13 - 20 Watts. So 4 - 6 hrs runtime then.
When I do game design with the Unreal Engine 4 in Linux it will spike due to the nvidia powering up. Then I get roughly 2-4 hours.
When gaming all maxed out on battery, I get one and a half hour, so I guess the battery per design goes up until 50 or 60 Watts max. On AC the max are 131 Watts for a brief period then the cpu will temperature throttle.
I'd say yes and as the other poster mentioned, allow as much airflow as possible. It's probably worth installing something like CoreTemp to help you keep an eye on temperatures, it gives you a nice icon in your taskbar showing the temperature at all times.
https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html I use this program to check how hot everything gets. I read up that anything above around 90°c-100°c isn't good and will usually cause automatic shutdown or possibly damage to the laptop. The laptop usually heats up to around the 60°c-80°c range from what I remember.
I've had my laptop get a bit hot using Google Chrome sometimes which is insane and I share your worries for the laptop since it is so expensive though it shouldn't be much of a concern I mean PCs are built to shutdown if they're getting too hot just don't over clock it or anything like that or it truly will end up overheating.
If you want better performance a egpu (external graphical processing unit) is an option though a costly one. That's what I plan to do simply because I favour having a laptop but do want to have a top performing PC for gaming. The Vega GPU has been pretty good for me so far though.
You can't see RAM speed without 3rd party software, this seems to be the most popular one https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html
BIOs is the boot menu you can get to by mashing F1, F2 and/or the Fn key, and you'll need to take pictures with a camera, since it doesn't allow screenshots ( https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/access-bios-windows-10 )
Hi, can you please do a big favor for me, can you please run the Cinebench r20 bench on the non-OLED version?
Here is the official web-site link for your convenience https://www.maxon.net/en-us/products/cinebench-r20-overview/. It's free :-)
I am on the OLED version, but I think I am an IPS guy. PWM and occasional screen glitches really putting off the whole OLED thing :-(
BTW the IPS version from BB is 340 nit as confirmed by the specs and direct reply from BB on my enquiry.
4-5 hours seems low. With OLED you theoretically could get better battery life if you blackout everything.
/r/amoledbackgrounds may have a cool wallpaper for you, most are for phones, but many of those have no borders so you won't be able to tell.
Dark reader is a free and open source browser extension for Chrome and Firefox that can help darken most websites.
Have a look, you could gain a free 30 mins of charge.
How's your internet connection? I use Moonlight to stream games to my Spectre from my desktop when I'm home but don't want to be in my office. It works great if you have decent internet speeds. My speeds are fast and my desktop is strong, so I stream games to my Spectre at 4k (the Spectre is 3k but it still looks great). You can also stream at native 3:2 for the Spectre's screen and it changes the aspect ratio. I tend to prefer to keep the 16:9 myself.
Moonlight is free and setup is easy. https://moonlight-stream.org/. You can stream any game you have installed so you're not limited to Steam games like you'd be using the steam remote play app. You do need to have an nvidia card I believe, as it uses Geforce experience.
I don't know whether it works outside of the home. I assume it doesn't.
I have a 2020 15inch and use an Anker 65W usb c charger and 60W battery pack for my phone, headphones and laptop. While I'm out and about I don't actually need the speed of the 130ishW original charger and can keep all my stuff juiced up with the charger and then use the battery pack for when I'm not near a socket. The charger and battery pack weigh more than the normal charger but not by much and saves my day on a regular basis. I wouldn't mess around with any 3rd party chargers from unusual brands and would either get a 60+W charger aimed at tablet and laptop use then use that for my laptop instead of using an existing USB c phone charger for your laptop
Same issue here. I'm going to try a universal laptop decal from Amazon that I can cut to size myself, which I think will work well with the Spectre, since it doesn't have any curves. I don't think many of the prints are that cool, but some of these sellers will print whatever pic you want to your dimensions.
I have a Cricut machine as well, and if I can find a detailed enough image or just sit down and take a bunch of mesasurments (laptop won't be deliverd til later this week), I may be able to cut pieces to fit around the screen and keyboard. If it works out, I'll share the pattern.
I bought [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086X4GCT7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_Z7RDG46MCMSX0T5NN1AR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1](this) and installed it myself most recently. My HP replacement was covered by my warranty.
This is the Amazon listing, I just picked it based on it being the right battery and having better reviews than other correct batteries. The change didn’t help my fans, nor did I think it would. My fans sounded unhappy and my laptop was running hot even with the fans, so when I still had warranty I sent it in and insisted that they replace my fans and my battery too (even though they said there was nothing wrong with either). Replaced fans ran much quieter and more efficiently and new battery was nice as well.
My machine is a HP Spectre x360 Laptop - 15-eb0053dx. I am using the RENAISSER Stylus for Surface (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081NRTK9K)and I like it a lot more than the hp pen that came with the device.
I got this one and it works fine. Seems to charge more slowly than the included HP charger, but comparable to a MacBook Pro charger I've occasionally used. I just got it yesterday, so I can't say much else about it yet.
This is the one I have. I bought the one designed for 11-12 in and it fits my 13 in perfectly and it’s padding feels quite substantial. Has other pockets for accessories like flashdrives and earbuds. Check the dimensions to see if it’ll fit yours but I’ve used it for a year and a half with no complaints
Sorry can't help with replacing keys, but do have a suggestion for protecting the rest of them.
Check the Amazon link below for a keyboard protective skin. I got one for my x360 Spectre 13.3" when I bought it and it works really well. Easy on, easy off. Perfect fit and will hopefully protect keys from wear, dust and liquids.
https://www.amazon.com/Leze-15-BL012dx-15-BL112dx-15-BL075nr-TouchScreen/dp/B0771RGT1G/ref=sr_1_47?dchild=1&m=AJBO3XLHRZPL&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&qid=1630951214&s=merchant-items&sr=1-47&th=1
I'm using this one from ugreen. . No issues, it's been pretty good. If I had any real complaints it's that the cable is longer than I expected. You can't go wrong with anker either, but they may be on the expensive side.
Having previously opened my late 2016 spectre and photographed its internals, I had a photo of the various codes on the battery and I started googling them until I found the one that was the right kind of battery. SH03XL was the right one. Ordered this battery and installed it with some borrowed torx and small philips head screwdrivers.
While it does not ‘calibrate’ and instead when you run HP Battery Check it says no battery detected, the battery life is like new and I’ve had 0 issues with it giving me an inaccurate battery life estimate.
This one's available, but the price is rather high:
HP Spectre X360 15.6 Inch 4K UHD Touch-Screen 512GB SSD + 32GB Optane 1.8GHz i7 2-in-1 Laptop (16GB RAM, Quad-Core i7-10510U, GeForce MX330, Windows 10 Home) Nightfall Black 15-EB0043DX https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08CS48VZR/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_ZJ5N6A2YD74D7TS1WFXY
Maybe try this one? Although I haven't tried it so idk if it's the paperlike texture
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0795YSK5S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_1G9WNMXVT6MT63T7VV46
Or you could get an oversized matte screen protector material and cut it to fit your laptop. I just got the matte screen protector for my iPad and it's the same as the Paperlike one
How weird, I can’t find the one online that came with mine. If I were you, I’d order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077M9WT61/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_HPV4Y1WDF79WDTBJKX2E and then if it doesn’t work, return it. If it works, then the cost of it being refurbished seems to offset the cost of it. Someone else may have a better answer.
If it still does help anyway, I bought a laptop cooling pad, cause the unlocked H-series CPU burns up to 100° real quick, while gaming or doing 3D work: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07NMBJVBG/ On normal office work tho the laptop fans do never spin up for me on an 8 hour work day without the pad.
thanks. Think this hub probably works for me better, https://www.amazon.com/Docking-OKX-Extended-Thunderbolt3-Ethernet/dp/B089Y5TM24/ref=psdc_778660_t2_B08X8XRFV3
same happened to my spectre x360 2018 ...back cover popped out last week Just got my battery today from amazon for 40 $
and looks original since i am not getting any error of unauthorized battery on boot.
>ago
Is it this pen? Amazon.com: Microsoft Surface Pen – Ice Blue (EYU-00049): Computers & Accessories. Does it connect automatically, or do you have to pair it with Bluetooth?
Didn't get a dock, but got a usb-c hub along with a 100W power supply:
I want to use it to charge the laptop while I watch movies on long flights :) does this look ok, or is the one you recommended better?
This https://www.amazon.com/TOTU-Ethernet-Delivery-Portable-Laptops/dp/B07FX2LW35 Is the one I was looking at, gigabit ethernet and whatnot. Any strikes against?
As far as disk readers, haven't really looked into them much.
It depends on which one you buy. I invested a bit and bought this $40 one. It’s been super quiet so far for it’s cooling power and even has RGB lights, which is nice. It is however a bit bulky since it was built for 17” laptops as well. I’m not sure how the other ones perform but I am pretty happy with this one, although it’s not the most portable.
https://www.amazon.com/ICE-COOREL-Cooling-15-6-17-3-Adjustable/dp/B087WF59N1
Looks like. Stupid expansive. Will need to find generic stick on 'pads'.
942846-001 - HP Rubber Feet Dark Ash
If self stick tape is not holding anymore, someone suggested (superglue NOT recommended) rubber cements (3-4 drops along the length) https://www.amazon.com/RUBBER-CEMENT-OZ-TUBE/dp/B000BO8M8C/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=rubber+cement+tube&qid=1555253130&s=gateway&sr=8-13
I have recently bought this to replace my Surface Pro Pen I lost, seems to work well on both, Surface and Spectre 14. Surface Pen
I used this USB microscope from Amazon. They make cheaper ones ($20) that probably work just as well.
If by paper-like you matte anti-glare then I have one on mine, I would recommend it only if you mostly write/draw on your spectre because it will degrade the screen clarity by quite a bit.
I have the exact same model you describe here, I got it from Best Buy rather than buying from HP directly simply because I needed to replace a laptop and couldn't really wait that long.
Because I got it from Best Buy I had to go with the SSD+Optane version rather than the NVMe option, that's the only thing I wish I could have changed.
Also, the webcam is not great, but that's common on pretty much any model that shoehorns a webcam in a bezel sooo small, I don't mind it that much since I have an external webcam hooked up to a rig and connect it to the laptop through a docking station (which I highly recommend as well, make your life so much easier, this is the model I got: HP Thunderbolt Dock 120W G2)
Other than that I can assure you this laptop is phenomenal and you'll love it (I know I do)
I guess tent would be "best" but not optimal. I have a laptop stand, that should give me the most airflow. This is the one I use: Omoton Laptop Stand
Your adapter needs to be able to serve the right thunderbolt protocol. Best is, if the adapter says its compatible with latest MacBooks. This one here is working on my 2019 spectre: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07D7TQS6C
The outside temp shouldn't exceed 46C really as that's hot enough to burn you.
The apps I was talking about are the preinstalled ones, McAfee, ExpressVPN, HP Analytics, Intel Analytics etc. That tend to always consume CPU cycles.
If you disable/remove any of the "HSA" branded services the thermal management won't work though.
The Glyph Thunderbolt Dock matches your description. It has an internal M.2 socket that you can populate with an NVMe SSD.
​
Pros:
1) Functions simultaneously as a Thunderbolt 3 dock and NVMe SSD enclosure
2) Provides up to 87 W PD through the Thunderbolt 3 cable
3) Not that much more expensive than comparable Thunderbolt 3 docks
4) Capable of driving multiple displays
5) Has Gigabit ethernet
​
Cons:
1) Sorely lacking in ports. Once you attach 2 monitors (1 DP and 1 Thunderbolt 3 that will need a USB-to-DP/HDMI adapter), all you're left with is 2 USB A and 1 USB C port.
2) The internal M.2 socket is only running on PCIe 3.0 x2, which has half the bandwidth of a typical M.2 socket intended for NVMe storage. As a result, your SSD will be limited to 1500 MB/s
Mine came out at $1630 vs $1500 for 13-aw2004nr. I picked 256GB SSD, 'cause I wanna get 2TB one myself for $200. -$130 seems like an ok deal to sacrifice Blue body. I'm contemplating myself.
People have had mixed results, with some features, like being able to change thermal profiles not working after a clean install.
I'd first look at startup items and turn off what you don't need, and uninstall programs like McAfee and ExpressVPN (if you don't need them).
Also it's been recommended to stay on the HP optimised NVIDIA driver as it has lower CPU usage as the latest NVIDIA driver triggers the GPU unnecessarily.
Then see how it performs, if it's good, I wouldn't reinstall (I didn't and mine is fine).
I also limited CPU to 60% on battery, so it has similar performance to a U series chip to maximise battery life.
There is that option but I didn't choose it for the reason that I wanted to fully upgrade it and it wouldn't be that cost effective to buy higher and replace the ssd and ram later on.
Also I'd blame the extra £500+ cost on the hp spectre price because of SquareTrades theft/damage insurance. It still works out cheaper than the xps 15 9575 though because I didn't include the £100 cost of buying their active pen and the fact they don't cover theft with premium support plus which is disappointing.
Also I looked at the price of a 32gb ram version on amazon for £3000 and my way seems like a much better deal tbh:
https://www.amazon.com/Spectre-x360-i7-8550U-Thunderbolt-Notebook/dp/B07664WWC8
I intentionally chose to compare the price of cheapest model with an i7 8705G and RX Vega M to be upgraded to the max so its much more cost effective, its interesting what you can get for a similar price since the ram isn't soldered like the xps 15 and is supposedly more future proof as a result. Got the choice of ram I'd want if I choose a spectre and the SSD if I buy them separately instead of the default ssd with lower speeds on read & write.
​
The only thing I actually uninstalled was McAfee, everything else (including ExpressVPN) I actually use. So I didn't really think it was worth the risk.
If it were me, if I felt there was a problem, then I'd consider it. But as the laptop is so new, I dunno if waiting for a lot more people to clean install would be better.
I've had this one for a couple of weeks now https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078SSYN7F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It's excellent for pen usage but like all anti glare screen protectors it will cause pretty heavy rainbowing when viewing white content. Got around it by switching my browser to dark mode. Imo it worth it for the improved pen experience and the piece of mind of not scratching the super expensive glass. Also if you use the touch screen frequently note that fingers glide much more easily on this screen protector than the naked glass which on mine seemed to barely have any oleophobic coating to begin with, another win for the screen protector.
Being a screen protector for only the screen area isn't as bad as you might think since the corner gestures in windows 10 have pretty generous activation zones so I don't even need to touch the ridge of the protector when I want to activate them.
I use this case and really like it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D7NCZZ1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I use this 90 watt charger. It does a great job for me. One USB c port and 4 usb 3.0 ports. I have it hooked up to my spectre, switch, and iPhone at the same time and it does a pretty good job.
I bought the XSKN that was recommended by the HP Agent, but there is no sticky adhesive that I can see (so it might fall off when you put it in the 360 modes) and I haven’t even tried it on the keyboard yet bc I’m waiting a week to open it where it came from China. So, if you can wait a week possibly, I’ll tell you if it fits if no one else here has used it and knows if it does or not.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073GZ727Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BsUoFbWY44RNZ
I used this one on my 13" but it looks like they don't make them anymore.
You need DisplayPort 1.4 capable thunderbolt dock. The one you have only supports DisplayPort 1.2. Something like this should work: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T2RW54X (but that's just a random google search result, no idea if it actually will).
You could also forget thunderbolt part (if you don't actually have any use for that) and then you could use something like HP USB-C Dock G5 in "High Res DP Alt Mode" ( 4 lanes of HBR3 ) to get dual 4K outputs (hopefully MST hub inside the dock supports going from single DP1.4 to dual DP1.2).
Oh ok. Is this the latest 15.6” model?
HP - Spectre x360 2-in-1 15.6" 4K Ultra HD Touch-Screen Laptop - Intel Core i7 - 16GB Memory - 512GB SSD - HP Finish In Dark Ash Silver, Sandblasted Finish https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L4H82TS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_D6RkFb90451ED
One of many reasons I chose the spectre x360 13 over the surface pro 7 was the lap experience. Meaning, I went to a Microsoft store, sat in a chair, and placed the surface pro 7 on my lap. That's all I needed to eliminate the surface pro 7 off my list. It's horrible and impossible to keep the surface pro 7 screen from falling over when using on your lap. You must have a hard surface (ie table) to use the surface pro 7. I would encourage you to go to a store and try this. It's not very portable if I need to lug around a table with me.
The other reason was the screen. The spectre x360 13t 4k screen blows away anything I've seen on the market for its size category. Absolutely stunning. Although you might now want to spend the extra $100 for 4k screen, IDK? Yes, battery life for the surface pro 7 is most likely better. For me, the pros outweigh any battery life concerns. Also, I'm not sure the surface pro 7 is considered a true windows 10 pro system, honestly not sure?
I think there are ways around battery life concern. Here is one option if you need portability for recharge. https://www.amazon.com/HP-Spectre-Charging-Laptops-devices/dp/B079J95CRH
Ya there isn’t enough bandwidth on usb a it’s gonna continually be a pain in the ass. Even a usb 3.1 gen 2 would work if you aren’t hanging crazy peripherals off of it. Thunderbolt 3 docks are way too expensive right now. You can find usb c 3.1 gen 2 hubs for a lot cheaper and it provides 10Gbps rather than the spectre’s usb a at 500mbps. There are 3 hdmi port hubs on amazon with usb c 3.1 gen 2 for 80 bucks. From the intel website tho, you can only either drive 3 monitors or 2 monitors and your laptop monitor.
https://www.amazon.com/UtechSmart-Display-Adapter-Delivery-Compatible/dp/B07PRJJNGF
Very true... i found one on amazon:
2PC 15.6 in Anti Blue Light Laptop Screen Protector, Anti Glare Filter Film Eye Pr... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PQZG1NC/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_qch5EbYVK7VZ0
Where one of the reviewers placed it on the spectre of 2019 (Larger Bezels)
I've always felt the keyboard is the Achilles heel of a laptop because of its fragile mechanical mechanism and the potential for solids and liquids to fall and seep between the keys (I can't be the only one here who regularly eats while browsing, can I?). I have lost more than one laptop due to problems stemming from the keyboard. So I ordered a TPU keyboard cover for my new 13-inch 2020 model and I must say I'm impressed. It fits perfectly, fits tightly and does not shift position even if I turn the keyboard upside down, and is thin enough that it allows the laptop to close with no trouble. It is slightly more uncomfortable to type with but nothing that cannot be overcome and gotten used to.
I got this one (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B076CJXLCK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) from Amazon, but it is a third party seller in China. Unfortunately they no longer have the clear option in stock it seems. But in any case I would advise those worried about laptop longevity to consider a keyboard protector. It is certainly far more useful than a screen protector (which I consider superfluous due to the strength of Gorilla Glass). Check Alibaba and Ebay as well as Amazon. Covers for previous recent Spectre x360 editions will fit as the keyboard has not changed style.
Now all I need is a bumper case for accidental falls…
Hey, I live in Malta too!
I ended up buying this one on Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085T3J42S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 It's factory refurbished, it's like new except it came in a brown box. I was $999 + $270 shipping + €210 customs charges. Delivery to Malta was a couple of days plus a few more days to clear customs and be delivered at home.
Buying computers outside EU is not easy, many sellers don't deliver because of new regulations regarding air transport of lithium batteries. Maltapost SendOn doesn't accept packages containing batteries either.
Good to hear you liked it. I'm really tempted for my spectre and note 10 lol. Thanks!
As far as your original post: I use a 3rd party carrying case for Amazon. It's a little larger but good padding. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CSY6JQY/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_WqNLEbA7VSQE3
Also have an eGPU (Razer Core X Chroma) which is great for gaming.
Most of the time you don't strictly need a Thunderbolt dock, as there are many USB-C docks out there that'll do what you want (except two monitors @60Hz) and be cheaper. The only real issue to think about is if you're running multiple monitors and Gb Ethernet like you want as there's only 5Gbit/sec of bandwidth out of USB-C (you won't get 60Hz w/o TB).
That being said, I have two Lenovo TB (Gen1) docks, they work perfectly. $120-$150 from Amazon Renewed (no point in buying new) and I have several cheap to mid-priced USB-C docks, they all work just fine. I haven't tried this one with dual 4K (just 1080p), but if you'd like a USB-C dock that will do two monitors, I like this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X1J7R34
I looked at the Amazon reviews and plenty of people there said it works fine with drivers from the Intel site:
https://www.amazon.com/AX200NGW-MU-MIMO-Wireless-Bluetooth-Support/dp/B07SH6GV5S#customerReviews