The new HP Spectre x360 is a step up from the predecessor, but will it be enough to rival Microsoft’s Surface Pro?
Analysts believe the market for event-driven and immersive experiences will continue to grow and demand even higher levels of performance by 2020. The Spectre x360 is a powerful machine with access to high-end processors, graphics cards, and storage options that make it one of the most versatile laptops around. In contrast, Surface Pro’s strengths lie in its stylus capabilities rather than raw processing power or memory capacity. However, analysts see both devices as being equally viable alternatives for various users looking at their respective price points.,In 2020, the HP Spectre x360 will be two years old. Microsoft’s Surface Pro is now entering its fourth year of availability and has evolved to become one of the best productivity tablets on the market. How does gaming change these devices? Does gaming make them obsolete?
The “microsoft surface pro 7 vs hp spectre x360 2020” is a question that was posed to me. The Surface Pro and the HP Spectre X360 are two of the most popular laptops in the market. They’re both designed for productivity, but which one is better?
We put the HP Spectre x360 to the test and compared it against the Surface Pro 7 in terms of performance, display quality, design, keyboard, and more. The results and general information about the Laptops may be found in our Ranking below. Below that, you’ll find a detailed study of each laptop.
Result of the Test
April 2020 Result of the Test 9.7/10 Excellent
April 2020 Result of the Test 9.3/10 Very Good
Pros
- The Test’s Best Performance
- Kickstand is a great design feature.
- Long Time Between Charges
- Windows Hello recognizes your face.
- Excellent Work
- Exceptional Speakers
- Longer battery life
Cons
- The Convertible Function isn’t the greatest.
Winner
Test Result
April 2020 Test Result 9.7/10 Excellent
Pros
- The Test’s Best Performance
- Kickstand is a great design feature.
- Long Time Between Charges
- Windows Hello recognizes your face.
Best Deal
Test Result
April 2020 Test Result 9.3/10 Very Good
Pros
- Excellent Work
- Exceptional Speakers
- Longer battery life
Cons
- The Convertible Function isn’t the greatest.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is in first place.
- The Test’s Best Performance
- Kickstand is a great design feature.
- Long Time Between Charges
- Windows Hello recognizes your face.
Microsoft’s Surface Pro 7 is still the greatest Windows tablet available. This review will teach you all of the crucial information.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is the most powerful Windows tablet available. The performance is superb because to the latest Intel 10th generation CPUs. The design, which includes a built-in folding stand, is outdated, yet it looks and functions nicely. Other features like as the 12.3-inch display, keypad, and surface pen are not novel, but they are beautifully executed.
Performance and Hardware
We’ll start with the hardware and performance since, in comparison to the Surface Pro 6, absolutely nothing has changed on the inside. Intel Core CPUs of the tenth generation are presently used by Microsoft. When purchasing, you have the option of choosing between an Intel Core i3, Core i5, or Core i7 CPU. The Core i3 has two cores, while the other two have four.
You may also opt from 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB of RAM. 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB SSDs are available.
The Intel Core i5 Quad-Core CPU in my test device is paired with 8GB of RAM. The Surface Pro 7 with Intel’s 10th generation CPUs is noticeably more powerful than the Surface Pro 6 in my benchmark comparison. Last year, I tried this with an eighth-generation Core i5.
It’s also worth noting that the Intel Iris Plus graphics unit’s graphics performance is substantially better than last year. It is, however, only available in Core i5 and Core i7 models. Intel UHD graphics are included in the Core i3 model.
In real life, the performance is similarly excellent. Office work, especially with Word, Excel, and a lot of multitasking, performs quite well. Chrome is the same way. I often have many tabs open, including YouTube, and everything works well. The same can be said about note-taking programs, Netflix, and Windows as a whole.
In addition, I’ve worked using Adobe Photoshop. My camera shoots RAW photographs at 24-megapixels, which I was able to edit quite nicely in Photoshop. Problems, in my opinion, can only arise if you work with very large and complex documents. Also, the Photoshop version with 4GB RAM may be inadequate. I would usually use at least 8GB for this.
Video editing and gaming
Of course, video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Premiere Rush will work. It is possible to edit FullHD videos without difficulty. 4K videos are also possible, although with restrictions since the project should not be too complicated. If you often use the Surface Pro 7 to edit 4K films and apply color corrections and effects, the Core i7 with 16GB RAM is the best option. For the most part, though, a laptop with specialized graphics is the preferable option.
If you’re searching for a Windows gaming device, this is the one I’d suggest. Fortnite is up and running on my computer. You may play the game well with the lowest graphical settings; the framerate is then between 35 and 60 frames per second, depending on the scenario.
Fortnite is also optimized for medium graphics. However, with this option, I observed jerking from time to time, and the framerate is usually 30 frames per second, but it may sometimes drop to 20 and even lower. Of course, this is much too low for gamers.
Older, simpler games work just fine. For example, I recently played the platformer The Messenger, which worked well.
By the way, the Core i7 model is the only one with active fans. The Core i3 and Core i5 processors in the Surface Pro 7 are passively cooled and hence absolutely quiet. However, there are ventilation holes that are carefully camouflaged. This is something I truly appreciate, but it also means that the situation becomes extremely hot. When I was working with the pen in Photoshop, I saw this. It doesn’t become very hot, but it is already rather warm. You can tell right away.
Design
Let’s get down to business with the design. The design of the Surface Pro 7 is identical to that of the Surface Pro 6. Also from the forerunner. After all, since the Surface Pro 3, very little has changed. Sure, the frames surrounding the display might get a little slimmer by the end of 2019. Nonetheless, I really enjoy the previous style. It just works and has been demonstrated over time.
The magnesium casing still has a high-end feel about it. Without the keyboard, it is 8.5mm thin and weights 1.66 lbs. A folding stand, also constructed of magnesium, is located on the rear side and can be expanded extremely fluidly wide and in any position.
Now we’ll look at a new function that was previously unavailable on the Surface Pro. The Surface Pro 7 now contains a USB C connector instead of the Mini-DisplayPort. Although Thunderbold 3 is not supported, USB C hubs and external displays may be connected through it. A standard USB 3.0 type A connection is located underneath the USB C port.
Despite the fact that the tablet can be charged through USB C, it retains the magnetic surface connection of its predecessors. There is also no USB C power supply provided; instead, a Surface Connect connection power supply with 65W is included. Almost solely throughout my test, I utilized a USB C power source. Of course, the magnetic connection may be used in practice. It’s also worth noting that older peripherals, like as the Surface Dock, are still compatible.
The headphone jack is on the left side, while the power button and volume control are on the top. A MicroSD card slot is also located underneath the kickstand.
Sound and camera
A primary camera with an aperture of 8 megapixels is located on the back of the phone. The camera’s picture and video quality is adequate. I used it to scan some papers and it worked well. The 5 megapixel front camera is also enough for Skype. You can record FullHD videos with both. The cameras are really rather impressive for a Windows tablet – the webcam is better than most laptops. However, tablets such as the iPad Pro and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 capture superior photos.
An infrared camera is located next to the front camera, and it is used to unlock the Surface Pro using Windows Hello Face Detection. This is really rather effective. During my test, I had no issues with it.
For a tablet, the stereo speakers are rather impressive. I did a lot of YouTube and Netflix watching and found the sound quality to be adequate. Speakers on higher-end and bigger laptops are usually better, but they’re adequate for this design class.
Cover for the keyboard and typewriter
Several words on the Microsoft Type Cover: The Surface Pro 7 uses the same keyboard as the Surface Pro 5 and 6. You don’t need to acquire a new one if you already own one of the predecessors.
The Type Cover is, as usual, extremely nicely implemented. I still believe it is the greatest official tablet keyboard. Apple and Samsung’s keyboards are much inferior.
The fact that the keyboard is standard size, that you can press the keys down correctly, and that there is even a backlight is a huge plus. I was able to write quickly and fluently almost immediately, and I no longer need to use a desktop keyboard.
Underneath the keyboard is a touchpad that is very precise and supports all of Windows 10’s multi-touch gestures. Overall, the touchpad is well-designed, although it isn’t as huge as those seen in many high-end laptops. It’s good for traveling, but I have a genuine mouse linked to my workstation.
A magnetic connection connects the keyboard to the tablet. It protects the display when folded, but not the case. It includes a magnetic bar at the top that allows you to bend the keyboard slightly. This provides you the same typing experience as if you were using a notepad.
The keyboard has a high-quality feel to it, yet it is, after all, constructed of plastic. The cover is likewise composed of an artificial fabric, although it has a cloth-like feel to it. I have the cheapest kind cover, which is black and costs about $150. The Signature Type Cover is also available in a variety of colors and in an Alcantara material for about $180. A fingerprint reader variant is also available.
Display
In compared to the predecessor, the display has remained unchanged. A 12.3-inch PixelSense display with a very high resolution of 2736 x 1824 pixels is still included. The text and images are both incredibly crisp. The viewing angles are really broad, the color reproduction is excellent, and the display is pleasant and bright for a Windows tablet. However, it lacks the brightness of the iPad Pro.
The 3:2 aspect ratio is extremely appealing to me. This frees up more space, particularly in the browser, and reduces the amount of scrolling required. When dealing with Word or Excel, this is also quite useful. However, while watching movies, you will see black bars at the top and bottom.
Surface Pen by Microsoft
Let’s get down to business with the Microsoft Surface Pen. Nothing has changed since it is the same pen as the previous versions. You don’t need to purchase a new Surface if you currently own one. The Pens are still approximately $110, although they may frequently be found for considerably less. It comes in a variety of colors.
Enjoy previous year, I like the Surface Pen a lot. It’s composed of metal, has a premium feel about it, and is easy to grip. Like a decent ballpoint pen, for example. The pen may be opened and the battery replaced from the rear. You’ll have to do it now and again, but not on a regular basis. So, unlike the iPad Pro, there is no built-in rechargeable battery. Nonetheless, the stylus may be magnetically attached to the tablet’s side.
The Surface Pen, like Apple and Samsung’s, is pressure-sensitive. It has a total of 4096 pressure points. This implies that when you push anything on lightly, it forms a narrow line, and when you press harder, it produces a bigger line. Programs like as Photoshop provide this capability as well. The Surface Pen may be used in the same way as a Wacom graphics tablet.
I used the Surface Pen to make some handwritten notes and to remove sensor dust and work with layer masks in Photoshop. This is fantastic. Overall, the Surface Pen is a fantastic product.
Battery
The Surface has an 11-hour battery life in my tests. I ran an HD film on an unending loop with medium brightness and WLAN turned on for this test. The runtime for a Windows tablet is extremely excellent, as you can see in my comparison. However, the iPad Pro and many Android tablets offer far longer battery life.
Of course, this is a fictitious exam. The battery will only last a few hours if you play Fortnite or use Photoshop. You can just about handle a working day with modest office tasks. However, most individuals should include a power adaptor.
Conclusion
That concludes my Microsoft Surface Pro 7 evaluation. As I previously said, I believe it to be the greatest Windows Tablet available today. Although the design is outdated, I still find it appealing. It’s well-made, and the folding stand is quite convenient. The good news is that we now have a USB C connection. The display frames could, of course, be a little slimmer. But I don’t believe it’s a big deal.
The display, surface pen, and type cover are all comparable to last year. In addition, the performance of the new Intel CPUs has significantly enhanced. It isn’t worth upgrading from a Surface Pro 6 – but there are major changes when compared to the Surface Pro 5.
If you’re seeking for the greatest Windows tablet and aren’t concerned with pricing, I suggest the Microsoft Surface Pro 7. That is why, despite the HP Spectre x360’s superior performance, design, and display quality, it is ranked first.
HP Spectre x360 is ranked second.
- Excellent Work
- Exceptional Speakers
- Longer battery life
- The Convertible Function isn’t the greatest.
The new HP Spectre X360 13 comes with the newest Whiskey Lake CPUs and a beautiful design. The details had a hypnotic effect on us. In this review, we’ll see how the magnificent combination of a 13-inch laptop and a Windows 10 tablet functions.
“Can you tell me where the power button is?” This inquiry almost seems like an insult to grandeur, given the test device’s, in our perspective, incredibly effective design. It’s understandable; the power button is in a strange location. HP is now attempting to link it to cut gemstones.
We tackle the challenge in a more practical manner: the aforementioned button is situated in the top left, bevelled corner, and glows brilliantly while in use. On the other hand, the convertible is charged through a Thunderbolt 3-capable USB Type C connector added by the US manufacturer. Very posh!
Delivery’s Scope
We also notice the integrated active stylus (stylus surcharged in certain configurations) and give a friendly note to the built-in infrared camera, which generally eliminates the need for a password. Windows Thank you for your time. A fingerprint scanner is also located near the wrist rest.
Ports and Design
Our well-equipped test setup weighs 2.8 pounds on the editorial scale. This is an excellent deal for a convertible with a 13.3-inch screen. The processing quality ranges from satisfactory to excellent. We can’t find any manufacturing flaws, residues, or visible gaps. The lid region of the metal casing may be somewhat damaged – uncritically. We also don’t think it’s that great that the two hinges aren’t perfectly aligned.
On the right side of the casing, in addition to the Thunderbolt interface, there is another USB type C connector, a headphone jack, a microSD card slot, and a mechanical slide switch. This toggles between deactivating and activating the built-in camera. The concept is admirable. After all, you observe an increasing number of individuals placing a sticker in front of their camera to protect their privacy. However, we believe that the implementation may be better.
A more visible approach, such as the one used by Lenovo in certain ThinkPad models, is preferable. A plate glides in front of the camera lens from the inside, blocking the view and making it visible to the user. On the left side of the casing is a USB Type A port (USB 3.0).
Touchscreen and convertible
You may fold the display back up to 360 degrees since it is a convertible. It’s also feasible to have intermediate stations. In presentation mode, for example, the touchscreen slides closer to you and the keyboard is turned off; in “tent mode,” the noble convertible is positioned in an inverted “V” in front of you on the desk.
All of this is familiar from previous convertibles and 2-in-1 devices. The lack of friction between the two hinges, on the other hand, surprises us. The touchscreen occasionally vanishes when we balance the HP laptop on our knees, type loudly, or bounce our thighs slightly.
To open the display, we’ll need both hands. Then there’s the 13.3-inch touchscreen (Chi Mei / Innolux, model CMN1373) and an equally noble and neat interior. The resolution is quite high at 3.840 x 2.160 pixels, however the brightness is just 340 candelas per square meter. When working outside, however, the reflecting surface, rather than the maximum brightness, presents a greater challenge.
Display
Subjectively, the visual presentation is excellent. Because of the IPS panel, the viewing angles are quite wide; there are no color inversions or substantial brightness decreases even at extreme viewing angles.
There are no pixel defects found in the Eizo monitor test. There are no ominous halo effects to be noticed. The LED backlighting is really consistent. As a result, there isn’t much to critique in terms of display quality. At best, the HP-Convertible falls short of properly showing flat white. A small layer of gray is always visible.
The HP Spectre X360’s large display borders seem outdated in a time when even low-end laptops can score with narrow screen edges. They’re 0.5 centimeters thick on the sides, 1.7 centimeters thick on top, and 2.5 centimeters thick on the bottom.
Touchpad and Keyboard
The keyboard of the HP Spectre X360 impressed us throughout our testing. There’s no need for an acclimation period. The tiny return key alone is inconvenient. The stroke is medium in length, with a highly accurate pressure point. In two stages, all keys may be lit. The lighting is fairly even, emphasizing the convertible’s high-quality overall appearance.
The touchpad has an exceptionally large surface area. With dimensions of 12.1 x 6.0 centimeters and a diagonal of 13.5 centimeters, it provides plenty of opportunity for fingers to blow off steam using multi-touch motions. The gliding characteristics are so good that you only need to use a mouse in rare circumstances.
Battery life and performance
By opening huge tables, intensive multitasking, or 20 active browser tabs, our well-equipped test computer with the quad-core CPU Intel Core i7-8565U fails to amaze in regular usage. Long wait periods are seldom experienced. Expensive gaming blockbusters do not operate with the HP Convertible. The integrated Intel graphics (UHD 620) aren’t up to the task. A dedicated graphic is not an option.
It takes roughly 15 seconds for the test device to respond to input after a cold start. The results of the benchmark tests back up the perception of a high work rate. Under Cinebench R15, the test setup scores an average of 577 CB points (multicore). With 55.47 frame repetitions per second, the HP laptop completes the OpenGL test.
HP claims a long battery life, which we can attest to in our tests. The lights went out after eleven and a half to twelve hours on average with medium screen brightness and a combination of browsing the web, composing emails, and word processing, and the Convertible wanted the extremely stylish original power supply.
Heating and Noise
Initially, we were worried that the HP Spectre X360 13 had a fan issue. The fan was left running for many hours after the initial setup and on the day of installation. Since the third day of testing, this issue has vanished (and a Windows update).
The fan is usually turned off, but when it is turned on, it makes a hissing sound, which is thankfully not accompanied by a high-frequency whistling sound. The HP notebook also didn’t have the infamous coil whistling. Under stress, the casing warms up to a maximum of 43 degrees Celsius.
Webcam and speakers
The loudspeaker configuration below the display, which comprises of four separate speakers, is adorned with a Bang & Olufsen logo. Expectations are high, and we will not be disappointed. By laptop standards, the speakers sound mature and powerful. There isn’t any kind of overdrive. As a result, headphones aren’t strictly essential.
As long as enough light is available, the camera mounted in its typical location produces satisfactory results in the test. Our discussion partner commended the excellent audio quality of the built-in microphones during a test video chat over Skype.
Verdict
You may be noticed in meetings or on campus with the HP Spectre X360 13. The Convertible is powerful, with a nice display, a long battery life, and a solid keyboard with a nice touchpad. The flaws are kept to a minimum. As a result, the HP Spectre x360 is ranked second behind the Microsoft Surface Pro 7. If you’re on a tight budget, though, we recommend the HP Spectre x360, which is still a capable laptop at a terrific price!
HP Spectre x360 13 is a laptop that will be released in 2020. It has been compared to Surface Pro and it seems like the HP Spectre x360 13 might have a chance against Microsoft’s device. Reference: hp spectre x360 13.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HP laptop better than surface?
A: This is a difficult question to answer, as it really depends on what you are looking for. HP laptops have a slightly better build quality and they tend to be more reliable than the Microsoft Surface line-up. However, there isnt much of a difference in performance between these two brands when it comes down to processing power.
What is comparable to the HP Spectre x360?
A: The HP Spectre x360 is comparable to the Dell XPS 13.
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