WATCH: Why HP’s Leather-Bound Spectre Folio Laptop Is So Unique

Tech analyst Patrick Moorhead says HP’s new Spectre Folio was a risk worth taking.

“It’s one of the most interesting and unique devices that I’ve seen in a long time from a PC maker,” said Moorhead, founder of Moor Insights & Strategy based in Texas. “It’s funny. I was in the PC industry for a decade and so many times we sat there with the industrial design folks and we always talked about maybe someday doing leather.”

[Related: HP Unveils The Spectre Folio To ‘Shatter The Mold’ Of Traditional PCs]

And somebody finally did.

On Monday, HP unveiled the leather- bound device in New York City, with Alex Cho, president for HP’s personal systems business, declaring it as a new premium standard in the industry. The leather covering extends to both sides of the exterior, as well as to the area around the touchpad, and encases a magnesium aluminum frame.

“What I like in the approach is they just didn’t take a 2-in-1 notebook and wrap it in leather. They really started from the ground floor,” said Moorhead. “I’ll try my best to explain it: So, let’s say you started off with a notebook base and then detached the display and then infused leather in it and used the leather as a hinge to be as a notebook or even as a pen but also in a mode where you can watch movies on it. A lot of people refer to that as tent mode.”

The price starts at $1,299.99 for a Wi-Fi-only model with an Intel Core i5 processor. The Spectre Folio with the LTE capability and Core i7 starts at $1,499.99. It comes as HP remains the market leader in the PC space.

[Related: 7 Things To Know About HP's New Spectre Folio]

“I think the number one thing is that HP says it wants to stand for innovation and innovation that matters, and I think this is actually a really good step along that line. I think it’s great to see the industry players take a risk out there. I really like that,” said Moorhead.

For more of Moorhead’s perspective, watch the video included in this article.