Yes, the glass lid on the HP Envy 14 Spectre is cool, but everyone knows that thin is the name of the game when it comes to Ultrabooks. HP's new Envy Spectre XT has an all-metal chassis, is just 0.57 inches thick and weighs 3.07 pounds. Available June 8th and starting at $999, this machine sports a 13.3-inch display, a third-generation Intel Core processor (Ivy Bridge), and a 128GB SSD. What's more, this notebook should last up to 8 hours on a charge.
Other amenities on the Spectre XT include a backlit keyboard, Beats Audio, HP CoolSense, TrueVision HD webcam, Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements. The Ultrabook will also come with 1 year of Absolute Data Protect and two years of Norton Internet Security. Also, a HP will set up a concierge line exclusively for Spectre users.
During our hands-on time, we liked the feel of the Spectre XT's clickpad, which offered smooth navigation thanks to its integrated image sensor. The key travel also seemed deeper than the Samsung Series 9 13-inch. While the 1366 x 768 display isn't nearly as bright or sharp as the 14-inch, 1600 x 900 panel on the Envy 14 Spectre, it seems about average for sub-$1,000 Ultrabooks.
HP includes all the necessary ports you need to stay connected (one USB 3.0, one USB 2.0, HDMI), including an SD Card slot that the XPS 13 lacks. Stay tuned for a full review of the Spectre XT.
