The display is a full HD (1,920 by 1,080) touch panel behind a layer of Gorilla Glass, featuring wide viewing angles, sharp colors, and a generous 400 nits of brightness.

Thanks to exquisite design, the Spectre Folio looks like a leather document folio that just happens to store a laptop instead of documents.

The screen works well with HP's active digital stylus, which is included. It does a good job of ignoring your palm if you're resting it on the screen while you're drawing or taking notes.

In addition to laptop and tablet mode, try the unique Easel mode that you can create by attaching the screen's lower-half magnets to a strip of magnets that lie between the touchpad and the keyboard. The third icon here represents it.

In addition to Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi, the Spectre Folio unit I tested is equipped with an optional Intel XMM 7560 LTE modem. That's the same one that Apple uses in the new iPhone Xs.

When the lid is closed, the full-grain leather looks and feels luxurious. The unit I'm reviewing is clad in Cognac Brown, but you will soon be able to opt for a darker burgundy, as well.

The hinge that connects the base to the display, partially visible behind the leather as you open the lid wider, is reminiscent of the curved detachable hinge on the Microsoft Surface Book 2. It's not detachable, though, and neither does it rotate through 360 degrees.

The Folio has three USB-C ports, one on the left edge and two on the right edge, and an audio input/output combo jack built into the lower left corner of the display.

Unfortunately, the Spectre Folio's touchpad is poor. It's small and cramped beneath the keyboard, and it uses clumsy software to adjust settings.

Audio quality is only fair, but the entire motherboard has to fit in a thin strip above the keyboard where the speaker grille is, so there's no room for beefier speakers.