Two must have accessories

I love my little HP Spectre, its light, its fast and it runs all my grown up photo processing software, Lightroom, Nik Software, Picasa, Aftershot pro and OnOne (I am having some problems with the last two, and I’m hoping for some fixes soon). The screen resolution is fine but the screen is small (12”). Not quiet bend over and squint but you do start to hunch over it. The pen is great but mostly the software isn’t touch screen enabled, or even touch screen friendly, they really demand a keyboard and mouse. The keyboard is easy, it just snaps on and works but a USB mouse was a little more cumbersome, then I figured I’d try a blue tooth mouse, mine is the Logitech budget model M337. Wow is it good but best of all no cables or dongles to plug it. If you want to amaze your friends it even works in tablet mode. The distance you can use it is also outstanding I had no trouble controlling a Chromecast from a different room to the computer.

 

The next part of the equation was a bigger screen no problem I already had a Chromecast dongle on my big screen TV. This works ok up to a point, you have to have wifi and internet access and the full screen cast (it does warn you it is in beta) does occasionally hang and I have to do my big screen editing from the couch. However what drove me crazy was the delay, if you move the mouse the resulting action was broadcast a little latter, it seemed like many seconds and may only have been a fraction of a second BUT it soon does your brain in if you are concentrating on small adjustments. A bit of on-line investigation showed a few people talking about using a HDMI cable to give a second monitor. Fortunately the USB-C interface allows connection to several other standards and HP produce a not overly expense connector. Apple do too but at over twice the price. This was a double WOW WOW. When connected to my 32” LG VT/Monitor (currently on my desktop computer) I can sit back and contemplate my photos gloriously large. Also unlike Chromecast I can easily set up the large screen as a second monitor for software that can handle it (eg lightroom). 

If you want to get the most out of and make you photo software easy to use on a HP Spectre, Microsoft Surface or similar 2 in 1 computers these are two accessories you definitely must have.