HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2: Which is the Better 2-in-1?

Are you in search of your next convertible laptop? This HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2 comparison article will be useful in helping you decide.

HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2: At First Glance

With the release of its Surface Pro line, Microsoft was able to set the standards for an ideal premium convertible. The success of their Surface Pro line encouraged them to expand their market reach with the more laptop-like Surface Book.

Since they recorded another success with the first Surface Book, they released the Surface Book 2 with a few better features to offer. However, the improvements came at a slightly more expensive price of $999.

Still, the Surface Book 2 is not as expensive as the HP Spectre x360, which costs $1,079. In all fairness, the HP Spectre x360’s price tag is not absurd.

After all, it has been one of the best convertibles for some years now. However, does it have enough quality to match or outrank the Surface Book 2 in terms of value?

Let’s find out.

HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2: Design, Dimension, and Weight

If you are buying a laptop with a price tag that’s around the $1000 price range, you would expect nothing less than premium beauty. The HP Spectre x360 and Surface Book 2 do not fall short of expectations in this aspect.

Even though both laptops have different design aesthetics, they both certainly look premium.

If you are familiar with HP’s Spectre lineup, you should already know how much they like to leave an impression with their striking designs. The HP Spectre x360 is another one of their beautiful creations.

There’s something about the HP Spectre x360’s design that makes one view it as though it is a huge piece of jewel. If I didn’t know better, I would suggest that HP employed the skills of a master gem cutter for the build of the Spectre x360.

However, there are a few particular design approach HP took that make the Spectre x360 appear as luxurious as it does. These approaches include the use of diamond-cut edges and contoured angles in the build of the laptop.

Unlike the regular appearance of some slab-shaped laptops with rounded corners, the Spectre x360 has a distinct and angular appearance. Due to its bold and irregular design pattern, it’s hard to resist the charms of the HP Spectre x360.

Its design gets even more exciting when you consider the different color options HP splashes on it. Aside from the regular silver color finish, the HP Spectre x360 also comes in Nightfall Black, and cerulean Poseidon Blue finishes.

The Surface Book 2, on the other hand, comes with only a matte gray color. This is not the only boring thing about the Surface Book 2’s design; its overall design looks a bit boring when you compare it with the Spectre x360’s design.

If you are familiar with the Surface Book, then you probably already have an idea of how the Surface Book 2 looks because they have the same design. Compared to the HP Spectre x360, the Surface Book 2 has a much simpler-looking design.

Instead of cut-out edges and angular lines, the Surface Book 2 has smooth rounded corners and straight lines. Despite its simple styling, the Surface Book 2 has an elegant design that’s befitting of a premium laptop.

However, its design won’t constantly be turning heads as the Spectre x360’s would. If the Surface Book 2 does grab attention, it would be because of its weird-looking dynamic fulcrum hinge.

This hinge looks like a threaded bookbinder or the neck of a rectangular-shaped robot. One other weird thing about this hinge is that it doesn’t allow the lid to close down totally.

Instead, it leaves a little gap between the lid and the base of the laptop when the laptop is closed.

Another effect this hinge has on the Surface Book 2 is that it makes it thick when it is closed. For reference purposes, the Surface Book 2 measures 312 x 232 x 13-23 mm (W x D x H) and weighs 1534 g.

On the other hand, the HP Spectre x360’s compact form is unaffected by its hinge. As a result, it is slightly more compact and even lighter than the Surface Book 2.

The HP Spectre x360 measures 306 x 218 x 13.6 mm (W x D x H) and weighs 1260 g.

Unlike the Surface Book 2 with its weird fulcrum hinge, the Spectre x360 features a set of regular 360-degree hinges. That being said, the different hinges on the Spectre x360 and Surface Book 2 establish a further difference between both laptops.

Though both laptops are classified as convertibles, the way they serve their convertible purposes is different. The reason for this can be traced solely down to their hinges.

Since the HP Spectre x360 features a 360-degree hinge, you can fold its screen to the back if you want to use it in tablet mode. On the other hand, the Surface Book 2’s hinge allows you to completely detach its display from its base.

This flexibility makes the Surface Book 2 a lighter tablet option. Nevertheless, you can also flip its screen to the back if you don’t want to detach the display.

However, using it in this form means that it will still retain its slight heavyweight, just like the HP Spectre x360 would.

To make it clearer to you, the Surface Book 2’s weight significantly reduces to 725.75 g when in its detached tablet form. Meanwhile, the HP Spectre x360’s 1260 g weight still remains the same since its display can’t detach from its base.

Weight aside, the experience you get from these devices when using them in tablet mode is pleasurable, thanks to their display. Microsoft and HP have equipped these laptops with displays that meet and surpass the modern-day 1080p standard.

However, the quality of both laptops’ displays offer is quite different. Precisely, the HP Spectre x360 comes with a 13.3-inch display that offers an FHD resolution of 1920 x 1080.

As I stated earlier, things are quite different with the Surface Book 2’s display. Unlike the HP Spectre x360, you can choose between two options for your Surface Book 2’s display.

You can buy the Surface Book 2 with either a 13.5-inch or 15-inch display.

With the 13.5-inch display, you will get a QHD screen resolution of 3000 x 2000. Meanwhile, the 15-inch display is capable of offering a QHD resolution of 3240 x 2160.

Regardless of the display size you choose, you will be getting a better display quality compared to what the HP Spectre x360 has to offer. Texts, pictures, and videos look very sharper on the Surface Book 2.

The display of the Surface Book 2 also offers excellent color reproduction and good viewing angles.

This is not to say that the HP Spectre x360’s display quality is poor. It also offers good display quality, but its display quality is not as remarkable as that of the Surface Book 2.

In addition, the HP Spectre x360’s display can’t get as bright as the Surface Book 2’s display. While the Surface Book 2 has a maximum brightness level of 428 nits, the brightest the HP Spectre x360 can get is 391 nits.

As a result, the Surface Book 2, with its better max display brightness, offers a better outdoor experience. In addition to better outdoor use, the Surface Book 2 is better when used in bright environments compared to the HP Spectre x360.

Moving on, one thing that’s common to both laptops’ displays is that they are both touchscreens. Of course, it is only appropriate since they also function as tablets.

Another feature common to both the Surface Book 2 and the HP Spectre x360 is the Pen. Unfortunately, HP and Microsoft sell the Pens separately.

The existence of the Pens improves productivity. Students and artists will find the Pen useful since they can use it to make sketches or take notes.

You should note, however, that the Pen they sell with each laptop is different. While HP sells its proprietary Pen with the Spectre x360, Microsoft sells the Surface Pen with its Surface Book 2.

Though these two Pens are great at the service they offer, the Surface Book 2’s Pen is the better pen. Offering 4,096 degrees of pressure sensitivity, the Surface Pen almost doesn’t experience any lags during input actions.

The HP Pen, on the other hand, isn’t as sensitive as the Surface Pen but it offers a good level of quality.

Another thing is that there’s no place to safely store the HP Pen, so it can easily get lost if you are not careful enough. The lack of storage for this pen makes it seem like HP didn’t put proper planning in place for the pen.

This makes the pen feel like an afterthought.

On the other hand, the Surface Pen can attach magnetically to the left side of the Surface Book 2 for storage. Unlike the HP Pen, this Surface Pen feels like a product of proper planning.

The good thing, however, is that regardless of the difference in the quality of both laptops’ pens, they improve the tablet experience. One other thing that improves the tablet – plus viewing experience – is their relatively thin bezels.

Both laptops’ display bezels are thin enough not to cause any form of distraction to your viewing experience. Another good thing about the thin bezels is that they enabled HP and Microsoft to stretch out the display of both laptops.

In this process, they were able to maximize the laptops’ footprints to good use.

This is not the only place where size maximization took place; HP also utilized the footprint of the Spectre x360’s base for its keyboard. HP integrated an edge-edge keyboard on the Spectre x360.

Due to this keyboard structure, the keys on the HP Spectre x360’s keyboard are well spaced and moderately sized. On the other hand, the Surface Book 2’s keyboard isn’t exactly an edge-to-edge type, but its keys are well-spaced.

They are also moderately sized.

You will get a good typing experience with either one of the two laptops. Their backlit keyboards offer satisfying tactile feedback and deep key travel that makes typing on them incredibly pleasurable.

In case you don’t know what key travel means, it is the distance a keyboard’s key travels from its state of rest to its fully pressed position before it registers inputs.

The smooth glass touchpads below their keyboards are also very sensitive. They are so sensitive that they can recognize touch gestures instantly.

In addition to that, both laptops’ touchpads are also sensitive to two and three-finger Windows 10 gestures.

The major difference between these laptops’ touchpads is their size.

While the HP Spectre x360’s touchpad is wide, it is quite short. It measures 4.4 x 2.5 inches.

The Surface Book 2’s touchpad, on the other hand, has a moderate size. It measures 4.1 x 2.7 inches.

Overall, both laptops’ keyboards and touchpads are satisfactory enough.

Besides, I like the fact that there’s barely any flex on both laptops’ decks. When you press on their keyboards, touchpad, or deck, you won’t notice any flex on both laptop.

This rigidity is mainly thanks to their sturdy overall build. Both laptops feature an all-aluminum build that gives them a solid structure.

Due to this, their keyboard deck is strong enough to resist flexes during typing sessions, thereby improving the overall typing experience.

As much as input options like the keyboard and touchpad matter, outputs like sound production also matter. In light of this, let’s talk about the sound production on both laptops.

The HP Spectre x360 features a dual bottom-firing speaker set positioned below its keyboard base. Meanwhile, the Surface Book 2 comes with a set of front-firing speakers positioned on its display bezels.

In use, both laptops’ speakers are good enough for your daily multimedia. Both laptops’ speakers are quite loud and they produce good sound quality with enough bass to them.

Having compared all essential design features of both laptops, I’ll like to compare the port selections on the HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2.

Port-wise, both laptops are quite limited, but the HP Spectre x360 offers a better port selection. The HP Spectre x360 comes with 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 port and 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Meanwhile, the Surface Book 2 features 2 USB 3.1 ports and 1 USB Type-C port.

Overall, both laptops feature excellent designs and build quality. Although the HP Spectre x360 appears to be more luxurious than the Surface Book 2, the Surface Book 2’s design is simple and elegant.

That being said, everyone’s opinions of the aesthetics of both laptops will ultimately be based on personal preference. In terms of build quality, both laptops are equally matched.

The biggest aspect where the Surface Book 2 has the edge over the HP Spectre x360 is in terms of functionality. Though both laptops are convertibles, the Surface Book 2 offers more versatile convertibility options.

This would have been enough to earn the Surface Book 2 a win over the HP Spectre x360, but it isn’t because of a few reasons. Firstly, the HP Spectre x360 is more compact and portable than the Surface Book 2 in its laptop form.

In addition, the HP Spectre x360 offers a better port selection.

Due to these reasons, the HP Spectre x360 and Surface Book 2 end this round in a tie. Both laptops score a nine in this HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2 design comparison section.

HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2: Processor (CPU) Performance

Though the processor configurations on the Spectre x360 and Surface Book 2 are Intel processors, they are quite different. While the Spectre x360 comes with only one processor configuration, the Surface Book 2 can come with three options.

First of all, let’s consider the HP Spectre x360’s processor configuration. HP equips the Spectre x360 with a quad-core Intel Core i5-8250U processor.

This processor has a base frequency of 1.60 GHz and a boost frequency of 3.40 GHz.

On the other hand, the Surface Book 2 can come with a dual-core Intel Core i5-7300U or a quad-core Intel Core i5-8350U processor. You can also equip the laptop with a quad-core Intel Core i7-8650U processor.

As for the details of their processing speeds, the Intel Core i5-7300U processor has a base frequency of 2.60 GHz. This processor can achieve a maximum frequency of 3.50 GHz.

Meanwhile, the Intel Core i5-8350U processor has a base frequency of 1.70 GHz and a maximum frequency of 3.60 GHz. The Intel Core i7-8650U processor, on the other hand, has a base frequency of 1.90 GHz and a maximum frequency of 4.20 GHz.

For the record, our Surface Book 2 comparison review unit is equipped with the Intel Core i7-8650U processor. Performance-wise, this processor feels like it had been custom-made for the Surface Book 2!

It gives the Surface Book 2 enough power to handle basic and complex computing operations.

Likewise, the HP Spectre x360’s Intel Core i5-8250U processor equips the laptop with a reasonable amount of power. Hence, the HP Spectre x360 also has the power to handle both basic and more intensive computing operations.

To give some examples, both laptops can adequately handle your regular web surfing activities, sending of emails, as well as document creation and editing. Should you require them to perform intensive operations like picture or video editing, they will be able to get the job done as well.

To further ascertain the efficiency of their processor performance, I also took a look at their benchmark performance. The benchmark I consulted is known as the Cinebench R15 test.

Essentially, this benchmark tests a laptop to ascertain how efficient its processor is. The result is divided into two sections.

The first section, known as the single-core aspect, tests the laptop for situations where it runs under less intensive computing loads.

Meanwhile, the second section is known as the multi-core aspect. In this aspect, the benchmark tests the laptop for situations where it will be required to run under intensive workloads.

At the end of both test sections, the benchmark indicates the laptop’s performance with a numerical score. Typically, the higher the laptop scores, the better its processor performance.

The test results of the HP Spectre x360 and Surface Book 2 were quite close in both aspects. However, the Surface Book 2 was still able to achieve better results.

While the HP Spectre x360 had a score of 143 in the single-core test, the Surface Book 2 achieved a score of 178 points. In the multi-core aspect, the Surface Book 2 had a score of 675 points, surpassing the HP Spectre x360’s 563.

Since the Surface Book 2 displayed better performance in the benchmark tests, it came out victorious in this round. It scores an eight in this HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2 processor performance comparison.

The HP Spectre x360, on the other hand, scores a seven.

HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book: Memory (RAM) Performance

Surprisingly, the HP Spectre and Surface Book 2 feature the same memory type. They both come equipped with 8 GB LPDDR3 RAM.

Memory configuration types aren’t the only thing common to both laptops, they also support the same maximum memory sizes. Aside from their 8 GB standard configuration sizes, you can equip both laptops with maximum memory sizes of 16 GB.

In terms of their memory performance capabilities, both laptops do quite well at handling regular multitasking operations.

For instance, both laptops can conveniently run with about 25 Chrome tabs and a 1080p YouTube video. You can have these operations running while you execute other operations like document editing.

Since we can’t rank both laptops based on just their real-world performance abilities, we will consider their benchmark performance.

Typically, the benchmark test we usually consider for memory performance is known as the PCMark benchmark. However, I couldn’t retrieve an accurate PCMark benchmark test result for the Surface Book 2.

Due to this, I decided to make use of the WebXPRT 3 benchmark test. Though it is quite different from the PCMark benchmark, they are both efficient at testing for basically the same thing, which is memory efficiency.

To give more explanation, the WebXPRT 3 is a browser benchmark that checks the performance of regular web application operations.

It measures a laptop’s performance for operations like photo enhancement, media management, and general productivity.

Basically, it tests the laptop by simulating almost all the tasks you execute every day.

On this test, the Surface Book 2 outscored the HP Spectre x360. While the Surface Book 2 achieved a score of 227 points, the HP Spectre x360 scored 180 points.

Since the Surface Book 2 finished this test with a better score, it wins this round as well. It scores an eight in this HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2 memory performance comparison test.

Meanwhile, the HP Spectre x360 scores a seven.

HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2: Storage Options and Performance

Both the HP Spectre x360 and Surface Book 2 come equipped with SSD storage drive types. They also both offer SD card options for external storage.

To give more details, you get a microSD media card reader along with the HP Spectre x360’s primary storage. Meanwhile, Microsoft offers a full-size SDXC card reader with the Surface Book 2.

With all of that being said, there’s still a big difference between the storage sizes of both laptops.

While the HP Spectre x360’s SSD drive has a maximum capacity of 256 GB, the Surface Book 2 has a maximum capacity of 1 TB.

As for their performance, I considered a real-world file transfer test and their results in the CrystalDiskMark test.

To start with, the real-world test measures how fast they can copy a 4.97 GB file from another source. Meanwhile, the CrystalDiskMark test checks for the laptop’s read and write speeds.

For clarity, the read speed is the amount of time it takes a laptop to open a file from its location in storage.

Meanwhile, the write speed is the amount of time it takes a laptop to save a file to a memory location in its storage.

Now that I have clarified all these tech terms, let’s discuss the storage performance results of these two laptops.

In the real-world test, the HP Spectre x360 convincingly outperformed the Surface Book 2.

Thanks to its fast transfer rate of 452.6 MBps, the Surface Book 2 was able to copy the 4.97 GB file in 11 seconds. Meanwhile, it took the Surface Book 2 24 seconds to copy the file due to its slower copy rate of 203.6 MBps.

Unlike the file copy test, the CrystalDiskMark benchmark test results couldn’t clearly indicate a winner. While the HP Spectre x360 had a better performance in one section of the test, the Surface Book 2 did better in the other section.

To give more detail, the Surface Book 2 was able to offer a better read speed of 1499 MBps compared to the Spectre x360’s 1440 MBps.

In terms of write speeds, the HP Spectre x360 had a better write speed of 994.2 MBps compared to the Surface Book 2’s 311.5 MBps.

Due to the mixed results across the tests we considered plus the fact that the Surface Book 2 offers larger storage, this section end in a tie. Therefore, both laptops score an eight in this HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2 storage performance comparison.

HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2: Graphics Card Performance

The graphics configurations you get for the HP Spectre x360 are very different from the ones you get for the Surface Book 2. To be more specific, HP offers only one graphics configuration for the Spectre x360.

Meanwhile, Microsoft offers three graphics configuration options.

In terms of specific graphics configuration, the HP Spectre x360 comes equipped with an integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 GPU. This graphics card has a base frequency of 300 MHz and a boost frequency of 1100 MHz.

The Surface Book 2, on the other hand, could come with an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU. It could also come equipped with a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 GPU or a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU.

These Surface Book 2 GPU configuration options have varying specifications. The Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU has a base frequency of 300 MHz and a boost frequency of 1150 MHz.

Furthermore, the GeForce GTX 1050 GPU runs on a base frequency of 1392 MHz, and it can offer up to 1518 MHz boost frequency. Finally, the GeForce GTX 1060 GPU has a base frequency of 1506 MHz and a boost frequency of 1708 MHz.

The NVIDIA graphics card configuration options also come equipped with dedicated VRAM (Video RAM) to help aid their graphic performance. Specifically, while the GTX 1050 GPU comes with 6 GB GDDR5 VRAM, the GTX 1060 GPU comes with 3 GB GDDR5 VRAM.

As you may have guessed, the Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU doesn’t come equipped with a dedicated VRAM. As a result, it isn’t as efficient as the NVIDIA graphic card configuration options.

With the configuration details out of the way, let’s proceed with the review and comparison.

For the purpose of this comparison, our Surface Book 2 features the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card.

Based on the results of the real-world performance tests, the Surface Book 2 offers a very impressive graphics card performance. In fact, it is powerful enough to go toe to toe with some gaming laptops.

It can run modern AAA title games at high gaming settings.

The HP Spectre x360, on the other hand, can also run some modern title games, but not at high gaming settings. To give you a better idea of their capabilities, let’s look at how both laptops played some real-world games in high gaming settings.

At high gaming settings, the HP Spectre x360 was able to play The Witcher at a considerably fair frame rate of 29.5 frames per second. The Surface Book 2, on the other hand, offered a better frame rate of 32.8 frames per second.

In another gaming example, when the Surface Book 2 ran X-Plane 11.11, it also offered a much more playable frame rate of 35.8 frames per second. This was better than the HP Spectre x360’s frame rate of 19.6 frames per second.

Take note that these test records were taken when the laptops played the games at high gaming settings. With medium or low gaming settings, you will definitely get much better frame rates.

As for the benchmark test, I considered the 3DMark 11 overall performance test. Essentially, the 3DMark 11 is a benchmark tool that tests the graphics performance capabilities of a laptop.

On this test, higher scores indicate better performance.

That being said, the Surface Book 2 outperformed the HP Spectre x360 in this test. While the HP Spectre achieved a score of 6120 points, the Surface Book 2 obtained a score of 8887 points.

With this test result as well as the ones we’ve obtained so far in this section, it is clear that the Surface Book 2 has a superior graphics performance. Apart from delivering better graphics performance, the Surface Book 2 also offers multiple graphics options.

As a result, it is fair to score the Surface Book 2 a nine in this HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2 graphics performance comparison.

Meanwhile, the HP Spectre x360 scores an eight.

HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2: Battery Life and Performance

The HP Spectre and Surface Book 2 feature different battery configurations. HP equips the Spectre x360 with a 3-cell, 60 Wh Li-ion polymer battery.

Meanwhile, the Surface Book 2 comes with a 69.0 Wh Lithium-ion battery.

HP didn’t make promises concerning the runtime of their Spectre x360 laptop, but Microsoft claims that their Surface Book 2 laptop will be able to last for 17 hours.

However, the test result I retrieved says something else. This test is known as the continuous web surfing test with Wi-Fi.

In this test, you get to discover how long a laptop can last when it is running under continuous web browsing sessions.

When the Surface Book 2 took this test, it lasted for 10 hours and 35 minutes. Though it fell short of the 17 hours Microsoft promised, the Surface Book 2’s battery runtime isn’t bad.

The HP Spectre, on the other hand, lasted for 7 hours and 46 minutes. In comparison with the Surface Book 2’s battery runtime, the HP Spectre x360’s runtime is quite poor.

For this reason, the Surface Book 2 wins this round of the comparison again. It scores an eight in this HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2 battery life performance comparison.

Meanwhile, the HP Spectre scores a seven.

Our Rating Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Both the HP Spectre x360 and Surface Book 2 are excellent 2-in-1 laptops. They are both powerful and efficient enough to handle most regular and intensive computing operations.

Also, these two laptops come with fantastic designs and premium builds. However, when it comes to picking the better option between the HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2, the Surface Book 2 is definitely the winner.

The reason for this is that the Surface Book 2 outshines the HP Spectre x360 in almost every aspect that has to do with hardware configurations and performance. With the Surface Book 2, you will also get a more versatile convertible laptop thanks to its detachable display.

Hence, based on our comprehensive comparison of the HP Spectre x360 vs Surface Book 2, we recommend the Microsoft Surface Book 2.

The HP Spectre x360 is also a good option, especially if you are particular about getting a laptop that has a distinct and luxurious appearance.

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