HP Envy Vs HP Spectre x360 – What is the Difference?

Today, we are reviewing whether to buy the HP Envy or HP Spectre x360. As these are two convertible laptops from the same brand, it’s easy to know the difference between HP Envy and HP Spectre x360. Although they look similar, there are differences when you look closer. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

HP Envy Vs Spectre x360

Buying a laptop has now become a difficult task. Not only are there many types of laptop on the market, but there are many types within the same brand! Today, we have to choose between the HP Spectre x360 and HP Spectre x360. By looking at their pros and cons we will be able to find the most suitable laptop for you.

HP Envy

The Envy is a non-convertable laptop that looks classy and behaves exceptionally well.

HP Spectre x360

The HP Spectre x360 is an incredibly powerful convertable laptop.

Differences Between HP Envy and HP Spectre x360

We will now compare the main differences between these two high-end laptops from HP. Which is better? Let’s find out…

Build & Design

You won’t find many complaints when it comes to the build quality of these laptops. They are both high-end laptops that have a professional design, so there isn’t much difference in this regard.

With that said, we prefer the design of the HP Spectre x360. It has an all-aluminum body with gold accents running across a charcoal color. The laptop comes with polished edges that give the impression of high-class, which creates a great laptop for business and work. As we mentioned, it has an anodized aluminum body that is resistant to wear and corrosion. This material also results in a solid build that has virtually-zero flex. The only negative to this metal finish is the fingerprints and smudges that seem to appear from nowhere.

Although meticulously-crafted from metal, the HP Spectre x360 is not a heavy laptop at all. The laptop weighs a mere 2.8lb, while measuring just 0.5” thick, which makes it easy to take from location to location.

Although matching in quality, the HP Envy has a different design. It is crafted from anodized aluminum that is coated in a silver finish for a professional look and high amount of protection.

The HP Envy doesn’t have the same aggressive edges like seen on the HP Spectre x360. Although it has a simple design, it isn’t lacking in any detail. We can see why it is called the Envy, because it really does look the part. The HP Envy and HP Spectre weigh roughly the same – 2.8lb. With that said, the larger HP Envy 17T weighs a massive 6.7lb and is nearly 1” thick.

While on the topic of build quality, we have to mention that these two laptops have high-quality hinges that will last the test of time.

Performance

The HP Spectre offers a choice between a few powerful processors. There are the popular Intel 8th and 10th Gen i5 and i7 quad-core processors, along with AMD Ryzen processors.

Both types of processors are more than capable of handling heavy loads and everyday tasks. Although not as powerful as those found in premium gaming laptops, the HP Spectre performance is nearly as good as it gets.

The Envy uses Ryzen 5 and 7 AMD processors, which gives a performance that is on par with Intel Core processors. However, these AMD processors are not quite as fast as the Intel counterparts. The advantage is that they are more affordable.

Both laptops are available in either 8GB or 16GB. Those who use the their laptop with a lot of applications running should choose a 16GB RAM, as this will allow the laptop to run smoothly. 8GB RAM is enough for everyday tasks, like browsing the web.

We love that both laptops use superfast NVME M.2 SSDs, which allows you to boot-up, transfer files, and launch applications in an instant. Essentially, these SSDs transform your laptop to a super-fast machine. The HP Envy 17T is the only model in the range that uses both HDDs and SSDs. This is advantage as it gives extra storage capacity along with the added speed.  

The HP Envy and HP Spectre x360 both have Intel HD, NVIDIA MX150 and MX250 graphics cards. You won’t be able to play the most demanding games, but casual gaming will be no problem at all. The MX250 is the most powerful card and comes with higher clock speeds, which makes it ideal for gaming.

Overall, users will appreciate the power that both laptops have. You will be able to handle multitasking and heavy tasks with no issues.

Display

Both laptops are available in Full HD (1920 x 1080) or 4K (3840 x 2160). All models have high-quality displays that look good from all angles, but the 4K display offers the most sharpness.

The 4K displays have better color accuracy and gamut, so they are defiantly the option for people who want to use their laptop to stream films. You can also read our guide on whether to choose a 4K laptop or 1080p laptop.

The HP Spectre x360 has a touchscreen laptop. The HP Envy comes with either touchscreen or non-touchscreen, depending on what you prefer. It even comes with a pen! So the Spectre x360 is the one you need if you want a 4K touchscreen laptop.

You can choose between 13.3” and 15.6” displays on the Spectre x360, whereas you get three options with the HP Envy, which are 13.3”, 15.6”, and 17.3”.  

The displays on both laptops give great viewing from all angles and can be used outdoors or in dim conditions. For those who are accident-prone, the gorilla glass protection will come in handy (although this glass is more reflective).

Upgradeability & Disassembly

Those who like to upgrade the storage and RAM in their machine will appreciate that the HP Envy and HP Spectre x360 can both be disassembled and upgraded. However, this is not a simple job. We recommend hiring a professional to avoid damaging your laptop and voiding the warranty.

Battery Life

The HP Spectre x360 has an impressive 79.2 WHr battery, which is capable of giving 9-10 hours of consistent battery life. You may even get an hour or two more by tweaking the settings. The 4K HP Spectre x360 uses more power, so will last roughly 8-9 hours.

The HP Envy 13 1080p also gives roughly 9-10 hours of battery life. All good there, but the 4K model only gives around 5 hours of battery. As such, the Spectre x360 4K beats the HP Envy 4K when it comes to battery life.

Keyboard & Touchpad

There isn’t much difference here – both laptops have impressive keyboards.

The HP Spectre x360 has a well-spaced keyboard that is easy to type on and gives great tactile feedback. The 13” model lacks the addition of a Numpad, but the 15” model comes with a Numpad included. The keyboard is backlit, which can be adjusted between two levels of brightness or switched off. The large trackpad is accurate in registering drags and clicks.

The HP Envy keyboard is great too. User will enjoy typing on the well-spaced keys that travel well. The keyboard is a backlit chiclet keyboard, although it doesn’t have adjustable settings. With Windows Precision drivers, the trackpad is highly responsive and accurate to movement.  

HP Envy Vs HP Spectre X360 – Who Wins?

Both laptops have a similar build, design, and performance. The HP Spectre X360 looks the best, but is it the best overall?

We believe so.

The HP Spectre x360 has more ports, which are Type-C USB ports that support Thunderbolt 3. Although this doesn’t sound like a major advantage, this feature allows for rapid file transfer, external monitor connection, and connection to an external GPU

Both laptops can be found for similar prices, so we believe that the Spectre is the obvious choice. The Spectre will also give you a longer battery life, even the 4K model. However, we still like the HP Envy, as it’s a great choice for those who prefer non-convertible laptops.