HP Pavilion X360 13: Balanced Performance, Good Battery Life

NEW DELHI: At a time when the personal computers' sales are plummeting by each quarter, the world of laptops is getting thinner and better. Realising the technological shift, the global printer and personal computer major HP Inc has given its laptop portfolio a "smart" touch.

One such high-performance convertible laptop - Pavilion x360 - 13-s101tu (Pavilion x360 13) - that caught my attention is proof that laptops have now come of age.

Here's what works for the machine.

Frankly, I mistook it for a Macbook when I received it. The 59,000 device had metallic silver finish (the only colour being offered at the moment) with a light plastic body, measuring 32.74 cm x 22.36 cm x 2.25 cm and weighing nearly 1.7 kg.

On the right, you can find two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, Ethernet, a headphone jack, the power button and a Windows button. On the left, you will find the controls for power, volume, a single USB 2.0 port and an SD card reader.

The machine, on the whole, is equivalent to an A4-size sheet and is quite thin. It got fully charged in approximately two hours and I played a few "FIFA 16" games, watched a movie and did some writing while listening to songs. The device ran smoothly for nearly four hours.

As for the hardware, the machine comes with a 6th Gen Intel Core i5-6200U Dual-Core processor clocked at 2.3 Ghz with Intel HD Graphics 520. It works with a 4GB DDR3 RAM and has 1TB of hard disk drive (5400 rpm SATA).

The 13.3-inch, FHD IPS WLED-backlit touch screen (1920 x 1080 Full-HD) provides plenty of details. The device has an optimised audio with two Bang & Olufsen bottom-mounted speakers. I could hear a little bass with clarity. The output from its 3.5mm jack was quite decent and clear.

The silent keyboard not only allowed me to speed up typing but also help me avoid too many mistakes while punching keys at a fast pace.

The HP Pavilion x360 13 comes with Windows 10 Home 64 and Office software trial among other basic softwares. The standout feature is in-plane switching (IPS) 13.3-inch display.

Although several 2-in-1 convertibles offer limited viewing angles, this machine -- with an IPS panel -- offers unlimited viewing angles.

In the tablet mode, a user can look at the 360-degree display from any angle and the picture looks the same regardless of whichever angle you look from. The webcam placed above the display has an adequate quality for Skype usage.

In tablet mode, it works nicely. As soon as you flip the display, the PC turns to tablet-mode within a split second. The machine did not heat up even when I kept it running on the bed for almost an hour. The fan is not loud either.

What doesn't work?

One drawback of the machine is the bulkiness in tablet-mode. Given its size and odd grip, it becomes difficult to handle when using it like a tab.

The touchpad is stiff and it needs some extra effort to push it to bring up the "properties" options.

Conclusion: For an office-goer or an entrepreneur who is working under pressure, the HP Pavilion x360 13 is the best deal. With a perfect balance in terms of design, performance and battery life, the machine is worth trying.

Will I buy it? Yes, I will.

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