They are almost the same size. They are almost the same weight. Both are 360-degree 2-in-1 convertibles with active pen support. So why are the HP Envy x360 13 and Specter x360 13 so similar? It’s what’s inside that counts here, and there are enough differences that these two similar machines are aimed at different users. Neither appears on our best laptops or best 2-in-1 lists, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t great machines.
The Envy x360 13 is designed for creators, people who do CPU-intensive tasks like video editing, while the Specter x360 13 is designed for productivity-intensive users who want a bit of style. But is one of these laptops better than the other?
Glasses
| HP Envy x360 13 | HP Specter x360 13 | |
| Dimensions | 12.07 inches x 7.66 inches x 0.65 inches | 12.08 inches x 7.66 inches x 0.67 inches |
| Weight | 2.92 pounds | 2.8 pounds |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 4300UAMD Ryzen 5 4500UAMD Ryzen 7 4700UIntel Core i5-1135G7Intel Core i7-1165G7 | Intel Core i5-1135G7Intel Core i7-1165G7 |
| Graphics | Radeon Intel Iris Xe Graphics | Intel IrisXe |
| work memory | 8GB or 16GB | 8GB or 16GB |
| Show | 13.3-inch IPS Full HD (1920 x 1080) 13.3-inch IPS Full HD with privacy panel | 13.3-inch Full HD with 13.3-inch UHD (3840 x 2160) OLED privacy panel |
| Storage | Solid State Drive (SSD) up to 1TB | SSD up to 2TB |
| Contact | That | That |
| port | 1 x USB-C (with Thunderbolt 4 on Intel models) 1 x USB-AmicroSD card reader 3.5mm audio jack | 2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 41 x USB-AmicroSD Card Reader 3.5mm Audio Jack |
| wireless | Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 | Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 |
| Webcam | 720p | 720p with infrared camera |
| OS | Windows 10 Home or Pro | Windows 10 Home or Pro |
| Battery | 51 watt-hours | 60 watt-hours |
| Price | $690+ | $1110+ |
| Assessment | 4 out of 5 stars | 5 out of 5 stars |
Shape
The Specter x360 13 is an exquisitely crafted laptop with jewel-carved corners and beveled edges in colors that complement the chassis, which comes in Natural Silver, Nightfall Black, or Poseidon Blue. The Specter is for people who want their laptop to express a sense of style. The Envy x360 13, on the other hand, has a minimalist design with simpler, cleaner lines and a more conservative aesthetic. It is available in Pale Gold and Natural Silver in the Intel version, and Ceramic White and Nightfall Black in the Ryzen version. It’s a good-looking laptop, too, but it’s not meant to attract as much attention.
Both laptops offer excellent build quality. The Specter x360 13 is made from machined aluminum and is therefore rock solid, with the best build quality you’ll find in a 2-in-1. The Envy x360 13 is made from stamped aluminum and is also solid, though maybe a little less than the Spectre. Both are among the best 2-in-1s out there if rigid construction is important to you.
We have already said that these two laptops are almost identical in size and weight. The Specter x360 measures 12.08 inches wide, 7.66 inches deep, and 0.67 inches thick, and weighs 2.8 pounds. The Envy x360 13 measures 12.07 inches by 7.66 inches by 0.68 inches and weighs 2.92 pounds. This is close enough that it is extremely difficult to tell them apart based on their dimensions alone. Interestingly, the Specter x360 13 has smaller display bezels and a 90% screen-to-body ratio, compared to the Envy x360 13’s slightly larger bezels and 88% screen-to-body ratio. Somehow, HP managed to fit the difference into a case of the same size, which means you’ll find keyboards and palm rests that are similar in size.
Both the Envy x360 13 and the Specter x360 13 enjoy HP’s excellent keyboard that was once reserved for the Specter line. It offers a deep stroke, a light touch with a precise, clicky action on the bottom and a consistent feel across the keys. It’s quiet, has great key spacing and a comfortable keyboard, and has a handy row of keys to position along the right side. It’s one of the best keyboards you’ll find on Windows 10 laptops.
The trackpads are also similar wide versions that take up most of the available space on the keyboard. They offer equally smooth surfaces and support for Microsoft’s Precision Touchpad drivers, giving them precise and reliable support for the full range of Windows 10 multi-touch gestures. Both 2-in-1s have touchscreens and are compatible with HP’s Active Pen. It’s a $70 option on both machines.
Aside from aesthetics, connectivity is another small difference. The Specter x360 13 offers two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 on upgraded models (we reviewed the late 2019 version and only the internals changed), a USB-A port, a microSD card reader, and an audio jack from 3.5mm . The Envy x360 13 has a USB-C 3.2 port (no Thunderbolt on AMD chipset models, Thunderbolt 4 on Intel models), a USB-A port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack . The Envy also uses its own power adapter while the Specter charges via USB-C. Both devices offer Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 wireless connectivity.
Performance
The Specter x360 13 uses Intel’s 11th generation Core processors, either Core i5-1135G7 or Core i7-1165G7, with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 2TB of SSD storage. The Envy x360 13 comes in two versions, one with AMD Ryzen chips ranging from Ryzen 3 4300U to Ryzen 7 4700U, offering up to 16GB of RAM, which can be configured with up to 1TB of SSD storage. The second version uses an Intel Core i5-1135G7 or Core i7-1165G7 CPU, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of SSD.
We tested the older model Specter x360 13 with 1st-gen Intel Core i7 and Envy x360 13 with Ryzen 5 4500U. The Envy was clearly the faster machine, and that will remain true even when compared to the 11th-gen processors in the updated Specter x360 13. In our Handbrake test, for example, encoding 420MB of video in H.265, the Envy x360 13 was 27% faster than the Specter x360 13 even in the latter mode. Both laptops offer HP’s Command Center utility for switching between different power settings, including a standard mode that balances CPU speed with heat and noise, and a mode that runs hot, high, and fast. Utility made a bigger difference to the Specter x360 13, and in standard mode the Envy x360 13 was twice as fast.
This performance difference carried over to all of our tests except gaming. The Envy x360 13’s Radeon graphics were no faster than the Intel Iris Plus graphics in the Specter x360 13, and the newer Iris Xe graphics in Intel versions of both laptops would be faster. That will change when HP updates the Envy with the latest Ryzen 5000 series processors, but until then, the Envy is an inferior gaming machine. That’s not saying much, as these laptops are only good for old titles and modern titles with reduced resolution and graphics.
The Envy x360 13 Ryzen models are faster and better suited for creators – the market HP targeted the laptop at. The Specter x360 13 isn’t bad when it comes to productivity, but it won’t keep up with CPU-intensive tasks.
Show
The Specter x360 13 was the first 13-inch laptop to get an OLED screen, and it’s a 4K beauty. It delivers wide colors (98% AdobeRGB and 100% sRGB) with excellent accuracy (DeltaE of 1.29), 405 nits of brightness, and unrivaled OLED contrast (405,210:1). An energy efficient Full HD IPS display is also available.
The Envy x360 13 Ryzen can choose between a Full HD IPS screen and a Full HD screen with privacy. Intel’s version swaps out the privacy screen option for an OLED panel. We tested the Full HD display, and it delivered average colors (71% AdobeRGB and 96% sRGB), an average accuracy of 2.26, a high brightness of 399 nits, and good contrast for an IPS display at 1110:1.
While the Envy x360 13 offers a good display, the Specter x360 13’s OLED panel is excellent. There really is no comparison here.
Portability
We have already established that these laptops are almost the same size and they are both very portable laptops. You will hardly notice them in your backpack.
Battery life is hard to judge from the results of our review. The Specter x360 13 did not have a long battery life despite the 62 Wh battery due to the power-hungry OLED display. It barely passed 5.5 hours on our web browsing test, which is a low score, and fell just short of 10 hours on our video playback test. The Envy x360 13 fared better with just over nine hours of web browsing and 13 hours of video playback.
Keep in mind that you’ll get significantly better battery life than both of our review units if you opt for the low-power display available for the Specter x360. You will likely get slightly better battery life with the Intel version of the Envy x360 13. However, based on tests, the Envy x360 13 wins the battery life battle.
The Specter x360 13 is a more refined laptop with the best screen
The Envy x360 13 Ryzen starts at $690 for a Ryzen 3, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and a Full HD display. The maximum price is $1,390 for Ryzen 7, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD and a Full HD privacy screen. Intel’s version costs $810 for a Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and a Full HD display, and tops out at $1,240 for a Core i7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and an OLED display. . It starts in the near-budget realm and ends as a top-of-the-line machine.
The entry-level Specter x360 13 costs $1,110 for a Core i5, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a power-efficient Full HD display. The top-of-the-line machine costs $1,700 for a Core i7, 16GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and an OLED display. It’s a top-of-the-line laptop from top to bottom.
It’s a challenge to choose between these two laptops. The Envy x360 13 is cheaper and offers better performance with a Ryzen CPU, but you can’t get that processor with an OLED screen. It’s a good-looking laptop, but not quite as good as the Specter x360 13. In the end, we have to give the Specter credit as the most refined laptop to offer the best-looking and best-built 2 13-inchers. -in-1 money can buy.
editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn