Overall, HP did a great job with the Envy Spectre XT TouchSmart, releasing a notebook with a sleek, comfortable design and a top-notch touch display. While we want to give this Ultrabook high marks, we can't overlook that the poor battery life and high price could be dealbreakers for some.
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78
Conclusion: We're mixed
HP's Envy Spectre XT TouchSmart has a lot going for it, including a great display, a very good keyboard, and some nice features like a Thunderbolt port, which makes sharing large files with Macs a bit easier. Unfortunately, it's heavy by Ultrabook standards (though relatively light for a 15-inch laptop), expensive, and its battery life isn't up to par. Engadget calls its display "one of the best panels we've seen on an Ultrabook lately," and says "colors look rich and accurate, and content is visible from even extreme off-angles." Engadget also likes the TouchSmart's touchscreen, saying it's "very responsive to all the Windows 8 gestures you'll be throwing at it." However, Engadget calls the TouchSmart's battery life "disappointing." Laptop Mag says the TouchSmart provides "snappy performance" and a "spacious, comfortable keyboard," but they were also disappointed with its "subpar battery life." However, Laptop adds that, as long as "you're willing to sacrifice some battery life and graphics oomph" the TouchSmart is an Ultrabook you'll be "happy to own."
90-Day Price History
Critic reviews
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The HP Spectre TouchSmart XT is a rare superslim 15-inch laptop with a touch screen, but for the premium price, it should include more high-end extras.
Read the full review →If you share your household with Mac users, the HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15-4010nr is a good buy if you absolutely need Windows 8 and need to trade files. It's a decent large-screen performance ultrabook made better with the addition of a Thunderbolt port.
Read the full review →The $1,349 HP Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook 15t-4000 is a good-looking machine with solid performance, a beautiful 1080p touch- screen display and fairly loud and clean Beats Audio. However, for this price, we would like to see either a full solid state drive or integrated graphics.
Read the full review →... it’s hardly something I’d want to tote around with me on a regular basis. And it would definitely need to have better battery life, speaker quality, and weight before it could really be called an Ultrabook.
Read the full review →Overall we're pleased to recommend the HP Spectre XT 15t; it's a well-packaged 15.6" notebook with a great mix of features. Look for models on sale that include an SSD.
Read the full review →Functionally, this machine is a cracker. Aesthetically and ergonomically, it’s just not quite there - not for the money that’s required to buy it, anyway.
Read the full review →What results is a laptop that looks nice but is less than the sum of its parts. Technical excellence saves the XT from itself. We have not yet tested an Ultrabook with a better display, and the system offers strong performance in all areas except 3D graphics.
Read the full review →First Looks
product preview
Overall, the HP Spectre XT is a beautiful laptop, which would look great in your home or workplace. It's packed with great features, and the touchscreen means you can get the most from Windows 8 and its interface - making it one of the best 15-inch Windows 8 machines out there.
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