The HP Specter Foldable is a computer 3 in 1 with folding screen with which the American manufacturer promises “the best hybrid experience” thanks to three modes of use: laptop, tablet and desktop. Its $5,000 price tag is as spectacular as its design.

Major mobile phone manufacturers have produced high-end models with flexible/foldable screens, and while their impact on global sales is still limited, consumer interest continues to grow. However, The folding PC concept was more difficult to manufacture. So far, we can only list a few models, Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold, which was the first, and ASUS’ Zenbook 17 Fold.

The HP Specter Foldable shares much of both, and we’re afraid that – given the design, concept and price – it’s more of a proof of concept like them, a sample of an innovative device, but one that will be very difficult to sell despite the promotion of the head of HP Inc’s Personal Systems Consumer Solutions division:

“Consumers are demanding more flexibility to connect, work and play in their hybrid lives beyond what a traditional laptop can offer, and we’re excited to introduce the HP Specter Foldable designed to seamlessly accommodate the many ways you want to work with your unique and durable form factor. which pushes the boundaries of design and technology ».

HP Specter Foldable, an expensive luxury

Getting down to speed, the computer is screen-based 17-inch foldable OLED diagonal, with a native resolution of 2560 x 1920 pixels, HDR support, a maximum brightness of 400 nits and 99.5% support for the DCI-P3 color gamut. With multi-touch support, the stylus features MPP 2.0 with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt detection.

The screen is clear the star of this computer. Its folding and unfolding thanks to a special hinge and its flexible screen make it easy to use as a giant tablet (17 inches), as a 12-inch laptop or on a table, as we will see later.

Its processor is less efficient. It’s Intel Core i7-1250U with 10 cores and 12 threads. A decidedly outdated CPU that may complicate the “desktop” usage mode it promises. And no, its integrated Iris X graphics card is not suitable for gaming. It’s clear that HP has chosen to keep costs and device consumption down here. It’s complemented by 16GB of dual-channel LPDDR5-5200 memory (installed on board and not upgradable) and a 1TB NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSD.

Its connectivity is quite good and we can see Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a webcam with IR and Windows Hello support, and a B&O-powered audio system with four speakers and DTS:X Ultra. Its battery is a good size of 94.3 Wh and a 100 watt USB Type-C power adapter.

This Specter has a built-in kickstand that makes it easy to work on a desk. Another essential accessory is a Bluetooth keyboard also included. Its weight is moderate for the design, 1.3 kg without the keyboard and 1.6 kg with it, and the extended thickness is only 8.5 mm.

The HP Specter Foldable will be available in October for a price of $4,999 which completely distances it from the consumer market. Yes, we have to highlight its screen, its uses and especially its innovative commitment to this type of hybrid designs. It won’t achieve massive sales, but it’s a good showcase of modern technology.