In recent years, major computer companies have been competing to develop folding computers. Lenovo, Asus, HP, etc. have all launched their own folding products. Today HP launched the Specter Fold, which it claims is the world’s thinnest and smallest 17-inch foldable computer.
This computer weighs less than 3 pounds (about 1362 grams), has a 3:4 OLED screen, a resolution of 1920 x 2560, and is only 8.5 mm thick when unfolded. When laid flat, it’s a 17-inch tablet. Pop out the kickstand (built-in) to prop it up on its long sides, and it becomes a 17-inch laptop. Fold the tablet to a 90-degree angle and place the magnetic Bluetooth keyboard on the lower half, and it becomes a 12.3-inch clamshell tablet.
HP claims that the Specter Fold is “the world’s first foldable PC with built-in AI” for features such as security, health and gesture control. For example, it can automatically lock and wake the computer based on the user’s presence, remind users to control screen usage time, and enable touch-free content control.
In terms of design and build, the notebook features a magnesium alloy body with a matte “Slate Blue” finish and an integrated kickstand at the rear. HP’s environmental efforts are also on full display here, with the Specter foldable computer using large amounts of ocean plastic as well as recycled metal and plastic in its construction. It’s a very attractive PC, measuring just 8.5mm thick when unfolded.
Performance-wise, the Specter Fold is equipped with an Intel Core i7-1250U processor, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, as well as HP’s exclusive GlamCam beauty camera. The Specter Fold comes with a large 94.3Whr battery that HP says can last up to 12 hours. However, the price of this computer is also very high, with a starting price of $4999.99 (currently about 36,400 yuan), making it one of the most expensive computers on the market. By comparison, Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold and Asus’ Zenbook Fold are $2,499 and $3,499 respectively. Moreover, both computers also had some problems in previous tests, such as short battery life, difficult-to-use keyboards and software failures. So it remains to be seen whether HP can make the Specter Fold a foldable computer worth buying.
