HP’s Specter x360 13.5 is the most refined convertible 2-in-1 available today and one of the best laptops overall, while Apple’s MacBook Air M2 is an excellent, updated version of Apple’s venerable machine. Both are outstanding laptops that should be on someone’s list of choices for their next upgrade.
If you’re shopping for a high-end 13-inch laptop, you’ll come across these two. It’s a tough choice, but one of them is an overall better choice than the other.
Glasses
| HP Specter x360 13.5 | Apple MacBook Air M2 | |
| Dimensions | 11.73 inches x 8.68 inches x 0.67 inches | 11.97 inches x 8.46 inches x 0.44 inches |
| Weight | 3.01 pounds | 2.7 pounds |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1235UIIntel Core i7-1255U | Apple M2 Octa-core CPU, Octa-core GPUApple Me Octa-core CPU, 10-core GPU |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe | Apple M2 |
| working memory | 8 GB LPDDR416 GB LPDDR432 GB LPDDR4 | 8 GB 16 GB 24 GB |
| Display | 13.5-inch 3:2 WXUGA+ (1920 x 1280) IPS Touch 13.5-inch 3:2 WXUGA+ (1920 x 1280) IPS Privacy Touch Screen 13.5-inch 3:2 3K2K (3000 x 2000) OLED touch | 13.6 inches 16:10 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina IPS |
| Storage | 512 GB PCIe 4.0 solid-state drive (SSD) 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD 2 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD | 256GB PCIe SSD512GB PCIe SSD1TB PCIe SSD2TB PCIe SSD |
| Contact | That | Not |
| port | 2 x USB-C 4.0 with Thunderbolt 41 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 21 x 3.5 mm audio jack 1 x microSD card reader | 2 USB-C with Thunderbolt 43.5 mm audio jack |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 | Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Webcam | 5 MP with infrared camera for facial recognition | 1080 p |
| Operation system | Windows 11 | macOS Monterey |
| Battery | 66 watt-hour | 52.6 watt-hours |
| Price | $1250+ | $1199+ |
| Evaluation | 4.5 out of 5 stars | 4 out of 5 stars |
Price and configurations
HP’s prices change regularly, with both sale prices and list price changes being a common theme. Currently, the Specter x360 13.5 starts at $1,250 for a Core i5-1235U CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 13.5-inch 3:2 WUXGA+ IPS touchscreen display. When configured with a Core i7-1255U, 16GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and a 13.5-inch 3:2 3K2K OLED OLED touch panel, the laptop costs $1,810. You can also configure the Specter with up to 32GB of RAM, but for some reason that’s not available with the OLED display.
Apple MacBook Air M2 prices are fixed, at least when purchased from Apple. The base model costs $1,199 for an 8-core CPU/8-core GPU Apple M2 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. Max out the MacBook and you’ll spend $2,499 for an 8-core CPU/10-core GPU M2, 24GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD.
Overall, the Specter x360 13.5 is a cheaper laptop except at the entry level, where HP includes twice as much storage for an extra $50.
To shape
For two laptops aimed at the same market, the Specter x360 13.5 and the MacBook Air M2 couldn’t be more different. The first is a 360-degree swivel 2-in-1 convertible with a sleek “jewel-cut” aesthetic that’s toned down from earlier models. It’s made from CNC machined aluminum in one of three colors, natural silver, night black and nocturne blue, and its build quality is truly top-notch with no bends, bends or twists anywhere in the lid or case. The latter adopts the blockier design of the larger MacBook Pro models, ditching the MacBook Air’s historic tapered shape, and its one-piece chassis is incredibly thin at just 0.44 inches compared to the Spectre’s 0.67 inches. The MacBook Air M2 is available in midnight, space gray, silver, and starlight colors, and while the case is as rigid as HP’s, the lid bends slightly.
Both are attractive laptops that represent the pinnacle of premium machines. Which one is right for you depends on whether you want the flexibility of a 2-in-1 that can convert into a clamshell, tent, media and tablet mode, with support for touch and an active pen, or if you’re looking for a traditional laptop.
We found the MacBook Air M2’s keyboard to be superior. It’s an Apple Magic Keyboard with slightly shallow switches, but a faster and more precise feel. The Specter x360 13.5’s keyboard is also excellent, and it’s deeper, but just a little behind the MacBook. But both will allow you to comfortably type at full speed. The MacBook’s Force Touch touchpad is much better than the Spectre’s mechanical version (which is a solid example of its kind), with support for clicking anywhere on its expansive surface and a haptic mechanism that closely mimics physical buttons. As mentioned, the Specter x360 13.5 has a touchscreen with active pen support, so it supports tapping and writing to the fullest.
The MacBook Air M2 has a cut-out to accommodate a 1080p webcam, something that bothers some. HP managed to include 5MP with an equally small bezel, so it’s curious why Apple felt the need to use a notch. In any case, both notebooks provide excellent video conferencing quality. The Specter x360 13.5 also includes an infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello support without a password in addition to a fingerprint reader, while the MacBook Air M2 relies on the Touch ID power button for login.
Finally, connectivity favors the Spectre, which includes USB-A for legacy support and a microSD card reader alongside an equal number of Thunderbolt 4 ports. HP also includes faster Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 compared to the MacBook’s Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.
Performance
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We reviewed the Specter 360 13.5 with a 15-watt Intel Core i7-1255U with 10 cores (two Performance and eight Efficient) and 12 threads. That’s compared to the MacBook Air M2 with an 8-core CPU/8-core GPU M2 ARM processor. Apple’s chip has excellent performance, but it wasn’t significantly faster than the Spectre’s Core i7-1255U in our CPU-intensive benchmarks. The Specter maintained these benchmarks when set to its own mode, although this did start the fans, while the fanless MacBook Air M2 remained completely silent. Both laptops got warm during intensive use.
Where the MacBook Air M2 has the biggest win is creative applications that can use the GPU. M2 includes optimizations for various processes used by applications such as Adobe Creative Suite. It scored a strong 497 in the Pugetbench Premiere Pro benchmark running in the live version of Adobe Premiere Pro, for example. That’s about 50% faster than laptops running Intel’s integrated Iris Xe graphics like the Specter x360 13.5.
For productive tasks, both laptops are equally fast. But for creative workflows, the MacBook Air M2 is the winner. Neither laptop is a particularly good gaming machine.
| HP Specter x360 13.5 (Core i7-1255U) | Apple MacBook Air M2 (Apple M2) | |
| Geekbench 5 (single / multiple) | Bal: 1,566 / 7,314 Perf: 1,593 / 7,921 | Bal: 1,925 / 8,973 Perf: N/A |
| Handbrake (seconds) | Ball: 169 Perf: 120 | Ball: 151 Perf: N/A |
| Cinebench R23 (single / multi) | Bal: 1,623 / 5,823 Perf: 1,691 / 7,832 | Bal: 1,600 / 7,938Perf: N/A |
Display and audio
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The MacBook Air M2’s Liquid Retina IPS display is outstanding, with plenty of sharpness, brightness, color and contrast. It’s great for both productive workers and creatives, although the most demanding creative professionals would probably prefer a little wider range of colors. The Specter x360 13.5 we reviewed came with a sharper OLED panel that’s even better, with robust color gamuts and excellent accuracy to go along with OLED ink black. It’s a creator’s dream, as well as a great laptop for media consumption. Note that you can also choose a privacy screen with HP, which is great for people with sensitive data to protect.
| HP Specter x360 13.5 (OLED) | Apple MacBook Air M2 (IPS) | |
| Brightness (nits) | 380 | 486 |
| AdobeRGB range | 97% | 90% |
| sRGB range | 100% | 100% |
| Accuracy (DeltaE, lower the better) | 0.61 | 1.08 |
| Contrast ratio | 28,230:1 | 1,310:1 |
Both laptops have quad speakers that deliver excellent sound. Apple’s sound is slightly better thanks to some specific optimizations.
Portability
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The Specter x360 13.5 is slightly heavier than the MacBook Air M2 at 3.01 pounds versus 2.7 pounds, and it’s a bit thicker. Still, both laptops are easy enough to carry around.
Where the MacBook Air M2 really shines is battery life. Although the Specter has a larger battery, the MacBook gets almost a day’s worth of battery life. The HP can be configured with a lower-resolution, less power-hungry display, but even at best, it’ll fall behind Apple.
| HP Specter x360 13.5 (Core i7-1255U) | Apple MacBook Air M2 (Apple M2) | |
| Browsing the Internet | 9 hours, 58 minutes | 17 hours, 59 minutes |
| Video | 13 hours, 59 minutes | 21 hours, 9 minutes |
Flexibility is the key
While the MacBook Air M2 has better creative performance and battery life, it’s not as rugged as the Specter x360 13.5. And HP has a better laptop display option that provides more flexibility.
If you’re just looking for a flip shell, the MacBook is a good choice. But for anyone who wants a laptop that can function as both a tablet and a clamshell, then the Specter wins hands down.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn