Updated January 10, 2024·Prices updated 24 hours ago
The HP Spectre x360 is generally less expensive and offers a larger battery capacity, a 16-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, and a respectable mix of power for general use and engineering tasks, making it a good fit for productivity and everyday scenarios. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has superior graphics capabilities thanks to its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, more RAM, double the storage, and a higher screen refresh rate, which makes it better suited for intensive 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming, despite its higher price and smaller battery. Both are similar in weight and have high-quality displays, but if portability and battery life are essential, the Spectre x360 holds an advantage, whereas if performance in demanding applications is a priority, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 would be the better choice. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the HP Spectre x360
Very good battery life
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.6/10
7.7/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Spectre x360 is only fair.
The HP Spectre x360 is equipped with an integrated GPU suitable for casual gaming, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 boasts a more powerful discrete Nvidia GPU, making it better for high-end gaming and 3D applications. Additionally, the Surface Laptop has a higher screen refresh rate which provides smoother visuals important for gaming, although the HP Spectre offers a competitive CPU and good screen quality as well.
Engineering and Design
8.0/10
8.7/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and HP Spectre x360 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is somewhat better.
The HP Spectre x360 is good for engineering and design because it features a high-quality IPS display, versatile 2-in-1 design suitable for various use cases, and a well-regarded i7 processor and integrated graphics suitable for moderate workloads.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.9/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
406.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the HP Spectre x360 for gaming and AI.
The HP Spectre x360 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 both have high-resolution displays with bright, vibrant panels, making them excellent for general use like browsing and watching videos. For engineering and design tasks, both laptops cover a wide color gamut, ensuring that colors are accurately represented for professional work such as photo editing or graphic design. However, for gaming and 3D, their screens have lower refresh rates, which can make fast-moving visuals less smooth compared to laptops designed specifically for gaming that often have higher refresh rates.
Battery
11.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The HP Spectre x360 has 11 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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.
Cost
$1,000
$3,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The HP Spectre x360 has a price of $1,000 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and HP Spectre x360 are both very good for general use.
The HP Spectre x360 offers a 2-in-1 convertible design with longer battery life and a bright, high-resolution screen, making it highly versatile for general use and great for productivity on the go. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 provides a larger amount of RAM and storage, a stronger graphics card, and a flexible hinge for creative tasks, but at the cost of shorter battery life and slightly less portability.
Content Creation
8.2/10
8.4/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
8.3/10
8.2/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Spectre x360 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very good for software development.
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
14.4in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and HP Spectre x360 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.5/10
The HP Spectre x360 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the HP Spectre x360 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
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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.
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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