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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The HP Spectre x360 offers better performance for intensive engineering tasks, with more storage and RAM than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3. However, it is less portable due to larger size and greater weight. The Surface Laptop Go 3 is more affordable, lighter, and offers higher portability, making it suitable for general use and on-the-go activities, but with less storage and lower specs not as ideal for performance-driven applications. Both have touchscreens, but the Spectre has a larger, higher resolution display, which could be more beneficial if screen real estate is important for your applications. 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 HP Spectre x360
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.2
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
406.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.
The HP Spectre x360 is equipped with a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a larger, better-resolution screen which enhances multitasking and visual clarity for general use; moreover, it offers versatile 2-in-1 functionality and has a longer battery life. In contrast, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is very portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, it compromises on CPU performance, memory, screen size, and battery life, making it less suitable for more demanding general use tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.0
6.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The HP Spectre x360 outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 in engineering and design because it offers a faster CPU, more RAM, and a GPU with better graphics processing capabilities, alongside a superior quality screen with higher resolution and color accuracy. While the Surface Laptop Go 3 is more portable and quieter, it compromises on processor speed, memory, graphics, and screen quality which are essential for engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
8.2
7.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
8.3
7.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
7.6
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
406.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The HP Spectre x360 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The HP Spectre x360 boasts a bright, high-resolution display that is appealing for everyday tasks and precision work in engineering and design, due to its superior color reproduction covering a wider range of color gamuts. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers decent screen quality with appropriate resolution and brightness for general use and professional work but falls short in extensive color gamut coverage. However, both laptops have displays with standard refresh rates, which are not ideal for gaming and 3D applications that require smoother visuals and faster screen updates.
Battery
11.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The HP Spectre x360 has 11 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 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
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the HP Spectre x360 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The HP Spectre x360 has very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$791
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The HP Spectre x360 has a price of $1,000 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $791.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.6
6.1
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The HP Spectre x360 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The HP Spectre x360 is better suited for gaming and 3D because it has a more powerful main processor and graphics unit, which significantly enhances gaming performance, and although both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, the Spectre's larger and higher resolution display provides a more immersive visual experience. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers lower computational power and a smaller, less sharp screen, making it less ideal for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
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How the HP Spectre x360 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HP Spectre x360 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $791 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.78'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.74 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.09" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.66" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3072 x 1920 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 406 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
HP Spectre x360
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | August 2022
"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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the HP Spectre x360 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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