MacBook Pro vs HP Spectre x360

MacBook Pro vs HP Spectre x360: Specs

Unlike the MacBook Pro, the HP Spectre x360’s various sizes offer considerable variances in terms of specs. The HP Spectre x360 16 in particular stands out from the rest of the lineup. Keep in mind that certain information on the Spectre x360 16 isn’t available yet because it wasn’t available for purchase at the time of writing.

Windows or macOS

The operating system is one of the most important deciding factors between these two laptops, regardless of size. The MacBook Pro runs macOS, specifically the most recent version, macOS Monterey. With a simple interface and fewer settings, macOS is sometimes considered more approachable to newbies. It’s also a popular choice among content creators, thanks in large part to software such as Final Cut Pro, which is only available on macOS.

The HP Spectre x360, on the other hand, runs Windows, with most models currently launching with Windows 11. Even if you purchase a unit with Windows 10, you will be able to upgrade to Windows 11 for free. Windows has a more open ecosystem and is significantly more popular, therefore many apps and programs are only available on Windows or receive far stronger support on Windows. Games are a good example, with Windows being the most popular platform for PC gaming and Mac missing out on numerous games.

At the end of the day, though, you’re likely already familiar with at least one of these, and your choice is already made for you right here. If you like Windows more, the HP Spectre x360 is your choice, but if you prefer macOS, you need the MacBook Pro.

Performance: The MacBook Pro steamrolls the competition

We may have stated that the HP Spectre x360 comes in a variety of configurations depending on size, but there’s no denying that the new MacBook Pro models are significantly more powerful. For good reason, the Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max within the latest MacBook Pro models prioritized performance. Both the CPU and GPU performance on the laptops is astounding. Aside from the entry-level M1 Pro on the 14-inch model, both the Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max share a similar CPU.

The HP Spectre x360 is slower than the MacBook Pro regardless of model.

Meanwhile, most models of the HP Spectre x360 include an Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU, while the Spectre x360 16 includes an Intel Core i7-11390H. The Spectre x360 16 is substantially more powerful than its smaller brothers, but it is still a long way from the Apple M1 Pro. The Apple M1 Pro nearly doubles the multi-core performance of even the most powerful Spectre x360, as shown in the table below.In terms of performance, they are comparable, at least to the Spectre x360 16.

The disparity in GPU performance is equally as pronounced, if not more so. Although the GPUs in the Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max are drastically different, Apple equated the M1 Max to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 laptop GPU running at 105W of power (as found in the Razer Blade 15 Advanced). These two GPUs offer comparable performance. However, the majority of Spectre x360 models come with integrated graphics, which are far from powerful. The optional NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti with the HP Spectre x360 16 isn’t anywhere close to an RTX 3080. The MacBook Pro clearly wins here, even if the M1 Pro is likely to be much more expensive.In terms of performance, they are comparable, at least to the Spectre x360 16.

What’s more, the Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max reach this level of speed while being significantly more efficient than the average Windows laptop. This gives the MacBook Pro another possible advantage: battery life. The smaller Spectre x360 models may still have outstanding battery life, but if you acquire a Windows laptop with dedicated graphics, the battery life would suffer significantly.

Because of the MacBook Pro’s unified memory, it has far more GPU memory than a standard graphics card.

The RAM and storage combinations on the MacBook Pro are likewise more remarkable, with up to 64GB of unified memory and 8TB of SSD storage available. Those upgrade options are certainly pricey, but at least you have them, as most Spectre x360 versions are limited to 16GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. It’s also worth noting that Apple’s unified memory means the GPU and CPU can both access that memory equally, which means you get a lot more GPU memory than on any Windows laptop, which is a significant advantage for GPU-focused workloads.

The MacBook Pro is undeniably more powerful, but before you decide that’s what you want, keep in mind that this tremendous power is only truly intended for a subset of customers. Both of these laptops will enough for web browsing, watching movies and videos, composing papers, and so on. The distinction will be in more specialized workloads, such as video editing or 3D rendering, which not everyone requires.

Display: The MacBook Pro has mini LED, the Spectre x360 has OLED

With the shift to mini-LED, Apple made significant enhancements to the display on the new MacBook Pro. This enables the display to have hundreds of dimming zones, which means that different regions of the display can modify their brightness independently of one another. It has several advantages similar to OLED, such as a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and energy savings while viewing images with a lot of black. It also has an extremely brilliant display, with a peak brightness of 1600 nits and a sustained brightness of 1000 nits. Furthermore, the panels are exceptionally sharp, with the 16-inch model in particular having near 4K resolution.

Meanwhile, the HP Spectre x360 comes standard with IPS screens, but all models allow you can upgrade to an OLED panel, which is superior to miniLED in several aspects. Instead of dimming zones, OLED uses individually lighted pixels. Every pixel can change its own brightness, resulting in improved contrasts and the elimination of the halo effect seen with mini-LED panels. These panels, depending on the model, are even crisper than the MacBook Pro. Despite some resolution variances, all of these panels are more than sharp enough for their size.

The HP Spectre x360 falls short in terms of display brightness, which can reach up to 400 nits on most of these panels, particularly the OLED ones. That’s still more than visible indoors, and you should be able to use them outside without too much difficulty; the MacBook Pro is simply substantially better in that sense. The Spectre x360, on the other hand, offers some advantages in the shape of touch and pen capabilities (it is, after all, a convertible) and the option for an integrated privacy screen if you want to keep your information private from those around you. The privacy screen necessitates the sacrifice of OLED, but at least you have the option.

The HP Spectre x360 supports touch and has a privacy screen option.

The MacBook Pro has long dominated the audio market, with a six-speaker configuration that most Windows laptops can only match. That is also true in this case, as Apple claims to have improved the sound system in this year’s MacBook Pro. Most HP Spectre x360 models include quad speakers, which will still provide a nice experience, although not as good. And, because the 13-inch Spectre x360 only has two speakers, it will trail all of them

The webcam is where both of these laptops fall short, but for different reasons. With the MacBook Pro 2021 models, Apple sought to enhance the screen size while also increasing the webcam resolution to 1080p. To do both of those things, however, it created a notch in the center of the screen, which looks strange, especially on a laptop. HP avoided this, however in order to make bezels as minimal as possible, it designed a tiny 720p webcam with poor quality. Finally, you must pick between having a nice webcam and having an uninterrupted display, which isn’t ideal in either case.

Design: The HP Spectre x360 is beautiful and more portable

The design is one area where the HP SPectre x360 readily outperforms the MacBook Pro 2021 versions. First and foremost, the SPectre x360 is a convertible, which means it can be used as a standard laptop as well as a tablet by rotating the screen all the way around. And, while convertibles are often heavier, the Spectre x360 13 and 14 are both significantly lighter than the MacBook Pro 14-inch, and they’re also smaller in all dimensions except thickness. Similarly, the Spectre x360 15 weighs significantly less than the MacBook Pro 16-inch. If you travel frequently, the difference in weight will be noticeable.

What genuinely distinguishes the Spectre x360 is its appearance. The MacBook Pro is available in Silver or Space Gray, both of which are gray versions. Nightfall Black and Poseidon Blue are two magnificent dual-tone designs that stand out on the HP SPectre x360. Poseidon Blue blends dark blue with gold elements, while Nightfall Black combines black with copper accents. If you desire, you can obtain a silver variant of the 13-inch and 14-inch models. However, the Spectre x360 16 does not have a dual-tone appearance and is only available in Nightfall Black or Nocturne Blue.

The Spectre x360 family also features several classic design characteristics, including as the cut-off corners beneath the display that allow for slanted ports. These make it easy to plug in accessories without their getting in the way, and also give the laptop a distinct design when compared to typical computers.

When it comes to ports, however, the MacBook Pro is more adaptable, particularly when compared to the smaller Spectre variants. The MacBook Pro has three Thunderbolt connections, HDMI, an SD card reader, a headphone jack, and a charging MagSafe 3 connector. With the exception of USB Type-A for some peripherals, this satisfies the majority of your fundamental needs, and the return of MagSafe means you won’t trip over the charging wire.

The MacBook Pro features a more varied port option, with the exception of USB Type-A.

The Spectre x360 comes with two Thunderbolt 4 connections, one USB Type-A port, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader. The 15-inch and 16-inch models also incorporate HDMI and a proprietary barrel-type charger. This still fits the most of your requirements, however the lack of HDMI on the smaller models can be a deal breaker, and you get one less Thunderbolt port. There is also nothing like to MagSafe here.

Conclusion: Should you choose the MacBook Pro or HP Spectre x360?

Both the MacBook Pro 2021 models and the HP Spectre x360 are superb devices, but there are compelling reasons to prefer one over the other. The choice here is based on what you desire in a laptop. The MacBook Pro is the perfect professional notebook if you need performance. The Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max, which contain up to 64GB of unified memory and 8TB of storage, are capable of almost anything. It also does so with incredible energy efficiency. It also has a lovely mini-LED display and a profusion of ports, making it much easier to connect peripherals.

The HP Spectre x360 is a portable high-end convertible notebook. It will still perform brilliantly for simple day-to-day chores, and it has an excellent display if you choose the OLED options. It’s also convertible, so if you want to use your computer as a tablet, this is the model to get. It is lighter than the MacBook Pro and looks stunning in a variety of colors and sizes. It’s also worth noting that you may choose multiple aspect ratios for the display with the various sizes, allowing you to find what works best for you.

There’s also the matter of price, with the MacBook Pro starting at a substantially higher price than the HP Spectre x360, and updating everything can cost you more than $6,000 in total. The HP Spectre x360 is a less priced option that is nonetheless outstanding in many ways. And, as previously indicated, the operating system is going to be one of the most crucial factors in deciding between these two. Get the HP Spectre x360 if you prefer Windows, and the MacBook Pro if you prefer macOS. It all comes down to personal taste and needs, and you can select your favorite by clicking on the links below. If you choose the MacBook pro,both pro and con Check out our list of the finest MacBook Pro cases to protect your investment.