Mark Coppock / Digital Trends
HP release an update version of its prime consumer laptop , the excellentSpectre x360 14 , and it remain one of thebest 2 - in-1syou can buy . It ’s well - made , offers a ton of flexibleness , and is one of my favorite laptop computer I ’ve reviewed .
But it ’s go up against theApple MacBook Pro 14 , which sits alongside the HP on our list ofbest laptops . When it comes to laptops that are both portable and knock-down , though , the Spectre x360 still come behind the MacBook Pro in some significant ways .
Mark Coppock / Digital Trends
Specs and configurations
The Spectre x360 14 starts at $ 1,040 which is $ 410 off its normal price of $ 1,450 ) for an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H , 16 GB of RAM , and a 512 GB SSD . With a Core Ultra 7 155H , 32 GB of RAM , and a 2 TB SSD , the Spectre costs $ 1,450 ( also $ 410 off the regular toll ) .
The MacBook Pro 14 starts at a higher price — $ 1,599 for a base M3 and 512 GB of storage , but only 8 GB of RAM . Apple charges $ 200 to get to 16 GB of RAM , making it $ 759 more than a like configuration of the Spectre x360 14 .
you may get a MacBook Pro 14 with an M3 Pro 11/14 , 18 GB of RAM , and a 512 GB SSD for $ 1,999 , providing good performance than the high - end Spectre for $ 549 more . amply configure with an M3 Max 16/40 , 128 GB of RAM , and an 8 TB SSD , the MacBook cost a whopping $ 6,899 .
Design
The Spectre x360 14 is a redesign of the Spectre x360 13.5 , upping the display size by half an column inch and smoothing the edge . It hold the notches cut into the bottom of the show and the rear bod , which family a Thunderbolt 4 port and the 3.5 mm audio frequency mariner . It ’s a more elegant and sleek intent , available in Nightfall , Black , Slate Blue , or Sahara Silver — all of which make it more attractive than its herald .
The MacBook Pro 14 have the blockier and more minimalist esthetical share by all modern MacBooks . It is uncommitted in Space Gray , Silver , and Space Black , and boasts an elegance that few laptops can match . The MacBook has lean bezels and a notch in the display to suit the webcam , while the HP ’s bezels are slim enough except for the buddy-buddy bottom chin that accommodates the 360 - stage flexible joint .
As a 2 - in - in laptop , the Spectre x360 14 offers a few advantage over the MacBook Pro 14 . First , it has a pen - enabled trace display , whereas the MacBook has no spot options . Second , the display swivel around to cultivate in clamshell , collapsible shelter , medium , and tablet modes . That offer a hatful more tractability than the clamshell - only MacBook Pro 14 .
Both laptop are construct from CNC - machined Al , and both are solidly build . The MacBook Pro 14 ’s flexible joint is smooth and permit spread the laptop with one mitt , while the Spectre ’s is stiffer to conciliate the 2 - in-1 functionality .
The MacBook Pro 14 sports the best keyboard on a laptop computer , the Magic Keyboard , with large keycaps , plenty of key spatial arrangement , and switches that are light , snappy , and exact . The Spectre ’s keyboard also has large keycaps and excellent key spatial arrangement , but its deeper switches are n’t quite as precise due to a less comfortable penetrate activity with less feedback .
The Spectre x360 14 has an excellent tactual touchpad with virtual clicks that finger raw and responsive , and it ’s even larger than the MacBook ’s equally splendid Force Touch touchpad . The MacBook Pro 14 ’s touchpad has the Force Click feature that provides additional functionality with more forceful chink , which the Spectre x360 14 does n’t offer .
The Spectre x360 14 offer the better videoconferencing experience .
Connectivity is miscellaneous . The MacBook offers an extra Thunderbolt 4 embrasure and an HDMI connectedness , with the Spectre having a legacy USB - A port wine . The MacBook Pro 14 has a full - sized SD card reader , while the Spectre omits an SD proofreader entirely . That favor the MacBook . On the other handwriting , the Spectre supports Wi - Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 , while the MacBook is stick on Wi - Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 .
The Spectre x360 14 has a 9MP webcam that supports up to 2160p video recording , which is a higher resoluteness than the MacBook ’s 1080p webcam . The Spectre ’s webcam also has hardware - based lowlight correction and offers a variety of AI - enhance feature . HP also includes drug user bearing - sensing technology that leverages an infrared photographic camera to engage the laptop computer and put it to sleep when the user steps off , and waken it up and log back in when the exploiter returns .
The MacBook Pro 14 has the Touch ID fingerprint reviewer in the baron button , and that ’s it . observe that the Spectre also has a fingermark proofreader in the power button to go with Windows 11 Hello facial acknowledgment .
Performance
The Spectre x360 14 uses Intel ’s latestMeteor Lakechipsets , specifically the 28 - W Core Ultra 125H ( 14 cores , 18 threads ) and Core Ultra 7 155H ( 16 cores , 22 thread ) . We tested it with the latter and notice it performs better than Intel ’s previous 28 - James Watt chips , but not remarkably so . The Core Ultra chipsets are notable for their newneural processing units ( NPUs)and potentially improved efficiency . The Spectre is limit to Intel Arc integrated graphics , which are quick than the old Intel Iris Xe graphics , but not as fast as entry - level Nvidia distinct GPUs . Unlike some other 14 - in laptop computer , no discrete graphics choice are available , which limits its performance compared to the MacBook Pro .
Apple ’s MacBook Pro 14 is available with various M3 chipsets , including the base M3 , M3 Pro , and M3 Max , with differing CPU and GPU Congress of Racial Equality count . We test the highest - end M3 Max with 16 CPU cores and 40 GPU cores . That ’s a very fast chipset in both CPU- and GPU - intensive task .
The MacBook Pro 14 with the M3 Max is importantly faster than the Spectre x360 14 . It ’s also much more expensive . We have n’t tested the MacBook with the al-Qa’ida M3 processor , but the Apple iMac with that chip performs likewise to the Core Ultra 7 155H. The M3 is probable to provide standardised performance in the MacBook Pro 14 .
Display and audio
The Spectre x360 14 is uncommitted with a 14 - inch 2.8 K OLED display running at up to 120Hz . That ’s rough the same sharpness as the Liquid Retina XDR Mini - lead panel on the MacBook Pro 14 . Both display run at up to 120Hz .
The Spectre ’s colors are wide and more precise than the MacBook ’s , although both are good enough for serious originative body of work . Both displays have near - perfect fateful level in incredible dividing line , while the MacBook ’s Mini - lead show has more standard dynamical range ( SDR ) luminance by default option while providing a searing 1,600 nit for high dynamic range ( HDR ) video recording .
Both displays are excellent for productiveness user , creators , and media consumers . The latter mathematical group will be much happier with the class - head HDR public presentation on the MacBook Pro 14 .
The MacBook Pro 14 has six verbalizer and force - cancel woofers that pump out the loudest and in high spirits - quality audio you ’ll find on a 14 - in laptop . Mids and highs are crystallization clear , while there ’s also stack of bass .
The Spectre x360 14 has four speaker , including two woofers that fire out the front , and it provides some of the good audio shortsighted of the MacBook . It , too , produces plenty of intensity , with clean mids and highs . The biggest divergence is in the amount of bass to accentuate music and natural action television show and movies . The Spectre is very well , but the MacBook is splendid .
Portability
The Spectre x360 14 and MacBook Pro 14 are similar in breadth and depth , with the former being slightly thicker and the latter slenderly heavier . Both are highly portable machines .
The biggest divergence descend in battery living . The Spectre x360 14 has an middling bombardment life of around eight hour of web browse and 14 hours of video . The MacBook Pro 14 will hit around 18 hour of web browsing and likely slightly more when loop video . If working a full mean solar day is important to you , then the MacBook Pro will last that and even more . Comparing these two laptop directly makes that difference painfully obvious .
Both are excellent laptops, and it comes down to budget and workflow
The Spectre x360 14 is the best convertible 2 - in-1 usable today . It ’s fast , well - built , has a beautiful OLED display , and has good battery living . The MacBook Pro 14 can be configured to be much fast ( especially in the graphics department ) , and it has equally salutary bod quality , a stunning mini - extend display , and the best electric battery life on a 14 - in laptop .
The dispute come down to whether you require the tractableness of a 2 - in-1 or a traditional grapple . Of course , price is also important because the MacBook Pro 14 is more expensive in all configurations . In the end , you ca n’t beat it on assault and battery life , though — and that ’s something no Windows laptop has been able-bodied to contend with .
