The ASUS Zenbook 13 is less expensive and offers decent performance with good battery life, making it a sensible choice for general use and light productivity tasks. It's light and has an OLED screen, but the graphics are integrated, which limits its capacity for gaming or intensive graphic design. On the other hand, the HP Spectre x360 is pricier but packs more powerful specs ideal for engineering, 3D work, and heavier multitasking. Its display is sharper, and as a 2-in-1 convertible, it provides flexibility as a tablet. However, it's heavier and might be less convenient for frequent travel. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 13
Excellent portability
Advantages of the HP Spectre x360
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4/10
8.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
378.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
406.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The HP Spectre x360 offers greater multitasking capabilities and smoother performance for general use with double the RAM of the ASUS Zenbook 13, alongside a more recent CPU and a superior screen resolution that enhances visual detail. While both have high-quality OLED and IPS displays respectively, the Spectre x360's larger battery and convertible 2-in-1 design provide added versatility and longer unplugged usage, albeit at the expense of being heavier, which affects its portability compared to the lighter Zenbook 13.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
8.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The HP Spectre x360 has a more powerful CPU suitable for demanding applications, along with double the RAM of the ASUS Zenbook 13, which is crucial for multitasking in engineering and design work. Additionally, the Spectre's higher resolution screen may make it more attractive for design tasks, although this comes with increased weight and potentially less battery life compared to the more portable Zenbook 13, which has an OLED screen known for vibrant colors but a lower resolution.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.3/10
8.3/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
7.6/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
406.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen than the HP Spectre x360 for general use, and engineering and design, while the HP Spectre x360 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the HP Spectre x360 offer crisp, clear displays with high resolution and brightness, making them suitable for browsing, video playback, and document editing. In engineering and design, they are prized for their accurate color representation across wide color gamuts, essential for precision in visual workflows. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates lead to less fluid motion, rendering them less ideal for fast-paced, high frame rate requirements.
Battery
9.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life. The HP Spectre x360 has 11 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the HP Spectre x360 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The HP Spectre x360 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$890
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the HP Spectre x360 costs $1,000.
The HP Spectre x360 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is fair for gaming and 3D due to its modest AMD Ryzen integrated graphics and 60 Hz OLED screen, while the HP Spectre x360 is better suited with its stronger Intel Iris Xe graphics and a larger, higher-resolution IPS display, though both share the same screen refresh rate. Screen quality and processing power also significantly contribute to the Spectre's edge, offering a more vibrant display and more robust performance through its better CPU compared to the Zenbook.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the HP Spectre x360 compare to other laptops
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
"As we said, Lenovo's Yoga 9i is a tough competitor to the Spectre with an equally admirable OLED display. We're sad that neither of them has an HDMI port nor a niche or slot to hold the stylus, though the HP wins points for its bundled mini docking station and magnetically attached pen. Your choice will come down to screen shape—and in our eyes, just as seeing an OLED screen spoils you for an IPS panel, enjoying a tall 3:2 display spoils you for a more conventional view. The HP Spectre x360 13.5 is our new favorite 2-in-1."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 13 or the HP Spectre x360
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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