If you’re looking for a way to stand out in a crowd, you may want to think of investing in HP’s Spectre Folio. Billed as “the world’s first leather convertible PC,” the Spectre Folio is a touchscreen laptop that can be converted into a tablet. It retails for US$1,299.
The device’s exterior isn’t the only part that is covered in leather. Several of the Spectre Folio’s components are bolted into the leather and cannot be removed without disrupting the device.
One benefit of the material is that the device can be easily folded into three different positions—from a traditional laptop to an upright screen to a tablet. The laptop resembles the case of a traditional portfolio, which inspired its name.
“The HP Spectre Folio is the PC reinvented, achieving the perfect balance of luxury design and cutting-edge engineering. It combines sophisticated style with incredible versatility to deliver an Always-Connected PC experience our customers are looking for,” said Alex Cho, President, Personal Systems, HP Inc., in a press release.
The device features 100 percent chromed tan, full-grain leather, which is quite durable and enables it to act as a natural hinge when converted to a new form. It’s simple to convert it to multiple positions. Using one hand, the thin and light device can be converted from a laptop to a tent position that hides the keyboard. It can also be moved into a tablet position. The flexibility of the leather and magnets enable the Spectre Folio to be manipulated in this manner.
It features one of the smallest motherboards in the industry, HP notes, and includes 8th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 (Y-series) processors. There is no fan. Instead, the leather and thermal design keep the device cool. Its four front-facing speakers are made by Bang & Olufsen, and it has up to 18 hours of battery life.
The Spectre Folio features up to 16 GB of memory and 2 TB of SSD storage, and either a 300-nits FHD display or a low-power, 1W 400-nits FHD option, making it easier to see the screen in different lighting scenarios. Later this year, HP will offer a 4K UHD display. Consumers will have a choice between two colours: Cognac Brown or Bordeaux Burgundy.
The Spectre Folio will be available at Best Buy and BestBuy.com beginning Oct. 29, with some options available in late December.
