The HP Spectre x360 14 offers a vibrant OLED display with superior color accuracy and a higher resolution, making it ideal for creative professionals and those who value a premium viewing experience. It's also a versatile 2-in-1, providing the flexibility of a tablet. However, it's typically pricier and slightly heavier than the Surface Laptop 6.
On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is more budget-friendly, lighter, and has a reputation for exceptional build quality and a comfortable keyboard. Its IPS display with a 3:2 aspect ratio is excellent for productivity tasks, though it falls short in color space coverage compared to the HP.
For performance, both laptops are equipped with the same CPU and GPU, so you can expect similar speeds for general use and light gaming or creative work. The HP might run warmer under load due to its more compact design.
Ultimately, choose the HP for its superior display and 2-in-1 functionality if you're willing to pay more and carry a bit more weight. Opt for the Surface Laptop 6 for its portability, build quality, and cost savings, accepting a slight dip in display quality. 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 14
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has no clear advantages over the HP Spectre x360 14.
Key differences
General Use
8.7/10
7.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
384.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The HP Spectre x360 14 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
7.7/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Spectre x360 14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.7/10
7.7/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Spectre x360 14 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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
8.4/10
7.7/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Spectre x360 14 is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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
8.6/10
7.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
384.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The HP Spectre x360 14 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The HP Spectre x360 14 has very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,630
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The HP Spectre x360 14 has a price of $1,630 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" costs $1,200.
The HP Spectre x360 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Battery
9.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The HP Spectre x360 14 has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has 9 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
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and HP Spectre x360 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the HP Spectre x360 14 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" compare to other laptops
"The numbers don’t lie — the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is a star, and a hell of a one at that. From performance to battery life, this machine is a dream. But why didn’t I give it a perfect score? Well, I wish the display performed better and that there were more ports to go around. If you’re itching for someone a little cheaper that offers a brighter display and significantly more battery life, I can only recommend the MacBook Pro 14 as a suitable substitute. Otherwise, the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is the perfect choice for those who want a reliable premium laptop."
Get a great deal on the HP Spectre x360 14 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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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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.
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