The Gigabyte Aero 16 offers better performance for 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks due to its superior GPU and is suitable for gaming. However, it is larger, heavier, and has shorter battery life, making it less portable than the HP Spectre x360. The HP Spectre is more portable, has a longer battery life, and is generally less expensive, along with having a versatile touchscreen. The Spectre's performance is adequate for general use and its build quality is high; but it's not ideal for intensive gaming or engineering applications like the Aero 16. Choose the Aero 16 for performance-intensive tasks and the Spectre x360 for general use involving touch input and better portability. 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 Gigabyte Aero 16
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the HP Spectre x360
Very good for software development
Very good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Best in class speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
6.6/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Spectre x360 is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is equipped with a powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card which makes it excellent for gaming and 3D applications, whereas the HP Spectre x360 uses the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics which, while capable, is less suited for highly demanding graphics tasks. Both have similar screen refresh rates and high-quality screens, but the superior GPU in the Gigabyte Aero 16 provides a significant advantage in performance for gaming and 3D work.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
8.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 16 and HP Spectre x360 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Gigabyte Aero 16 is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 with its high-resolution OLED screen, powerful Intel i7 processor, abundant storage, and dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU is tuned for demanding engineering and design tasks, while the HP Spectre x360, despite its sharp IPS display and same-generation Intel i7 CPU, uses integrated graphics and offers less storage, making it better suited for less intensive tasks but more versatile due to its 2-in-1 convertible design. The Aero's hardware caters to high-end professional use but sacrifices portability and battery life, whereas the Spectre strikes a balance, providing decent performance in a more portable and longer-lasting package.
Screen Quality
8.4/10
7.6/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
406.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a better screen than the HP Spectre x360 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the HP Spectre x360 has a better screen for content creation.
For general use, both the Gigabyte Aero 16 and HP Spectre x360 display crisp, clear images with their high resolution and brightness levels, which make everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos enjoyable. With engineering and design work, the vividness and accuracy of colors are key, and the Aero's excellent coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB ensures that it renders images with professional-grade color fidelity. However, for gaming and 3D applications where the fluidity of motion is crucial, the lower refresh rates of these laptops' screens may lead to less smooth visual experiences compared to displays optimized for high refresh rates.
Battery
7.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has 7 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.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
The HP Spectre x360 has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,260
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a price of $1,260 and the HP Spectre x360 costs $1,000.
The HP Spectre x360 and Gigabyte Aero 16 are both very good for general use.
The HP Spectre x360 outperforms the Gigabyte Aero 16 for general use mainly due to its better battery life and portability, with the HP Spectre offering longer usage time and being lighter and thinner, which is enhanced by its versatility as a 2-in-1 convertible. Despite the Gigabyte having a top-quality display and ample storage, which are significant for tasks requiring high visual fidelity and data storage, the Spectre's overall user experience is elevated by its superior keyboard and speakers, along with its silent operation and effective heat management.
Content Creation
8.2/10
8.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aero 16 and HP Spectre x360 are both very good for content creation.
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
7.9/10
8.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Spectre x360 to be very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Spectre x360 and Gigabyte Aero 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte Aero 16 and the HP Spectre x360 compare to other laptops
"The Gigabyte Aero 16 is a workstation laptop for light gaming. It's design is still muted, with a silver chassis alongside a black keyboard and trackpad that provides some contrast. The Gigabyte Aero’s full-size chiclet-style keyboard is enjoyable to type on thanks to its snappy feel and responsiveness. The 4K+ AMOLED display is good, but it could be better. It doesn’t handle true black very well and suffers from strong reflections and glare. The Gigabyte Aero excels at productivity performance and can keep up with other gaming laptops in 1080p. But it has very few ports and its refresh rate leaves a bit to be desired."
"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 Gigabyte Aero 16 or the HP Spectre x360
About Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
98,595
Recommendations made
21,363
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.