Keyboard

The darker color scheme may be new for the series, but the keyboard remains the same. Travel is still shallow at 1.3 mm and the firm keys feel light to press and do not wiggle in place. Auditory feedback is quieter than on a Dell XPS but noisier than on a Lenovo AccuType keyboard. Tactile feedback is still satisfactory and not at all spongy for an agreeable typing experience. Strangely enough, the Space bar on this particular test unit feels much firmer than on our previous Spectre x360 13 FHD unit.

Visually, we prefer the dark-colored keys over the bright silver keys on the older Spectre x360 13 as this contrasts better with the white lettering. HP continues to offer just one brightness level for the keyboard backlight - on or off - whereas nearly every other manufacturer offers at least two levels of adjustable brightness settings. Unlike the Lenovo Yoga series, there is no hard button to lock display rotation when in tablet mode.

Touchpad

The wide (12 x 6 cm) trackpad surface is responsive with smooth gliding characteristics and no jitters or "dead" spots. Not only is the trackpad larger than on the XPS 13, but its integrated mouse keys are firmer and louder in feedback when pressed. Clicking repeatedly in quick succession is not tiresome as the force required to input a click is quite light. Travel is shallow and slightly spongy; there is some "give" before the system will register a click. Overall, however, the trackpad is comfortable to use should an external mouse be unavailable.

Touchscreen

Tablet mode is much more practical than on the first generation Spectre x360 13 and definitely the larger Spectre x360 15. The stylus feels natural to hold and use, though the feel and glide of a plastic tip against glass will never quite match the traditional pen and paper experience. The HP series does not feature Lenovo's Lift'n Lock either, so be prepared to constantly click the touchpad and keyboard keys when handling the convertible. Thankfully, these inputs are automatically disabled once the lid is opened past 270 degrees.

The two buttons on the pen can be configured to perform different functions including Volume control, Shift, Tab, Play, Screenshot, and others. Button travel is shallow with firm and auditory feedback when pressed. However, they are slightly more difficult to press than on the Surface Pro 4 stylus simply because both buttons sit completely flush against the pen surface whereas the buttons on the Surface Pro 4 stylus protrude just slightly for easier use.