HP Envy x360 13 vs. Apple MacBook Air M2

HP’s Envy x360 13 is a wonderful convertible 2-in-1 for not some huge cash. It’s extraordinarily versatile, well-built, and it offers strong productiveness efficiency whereas being priced to undercut a lot of the competitors. That features the Apple MacBook Air M2, a superb laptop computer that’s among the many least costly MacBooks.

For those who’re taking a look at 13-inch machines, then these two laptops needs to be in your shortlist. They’re fairly totally different, although, and so the selection between them isn’t a straightforward one to make. We’ll attempt to make it a little bit simpler.

Specs

Value and configurations

The Envy x360 13 prices $900 for an Intel Core i5-1230U CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB solid-state drive (SSD), and a 13.3-inch 16:10 WUXGA IPS show. Essentially the most you’ll spend is $1,300 for a Core i7-1250U, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 13.3-inch 16:10 2.8K OLED panel.

The MacBook Air M2 is a pricier laptop computer, beginning at $1,200 for an 8-core CPU/8-core GPU M2 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. On the excessive finish, the laptop computer prices $2,500 for an 8-core CPU/10-core GPU M2, 24GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD.

The MacBook prices extra throughout the board, and be aware that HP usually places their laptops on sale. After we reviewed the Envy x360 13, for instance, the entry-level configuration was simply $700, making it a real discount.

Design

It’s exhausting to beat Apple’s construct high quality, and the MacBook Air M2 is not any exception. Its unibody development is excellent, though the lid does exhibit some uncharacteristic bending due to the laptop computer’s excessive thinness. It is available in at simply 0.44 inches thick, making it one of many thinnest laptops you should purchase. The Envy x360 13 additionally enjoys an all-aluminum development, and it’s additionally a strong machine — arguably, it’s extra inflexible than the MacBook. Apple’s hinge is easy and permits opening the lid with one hand, which HP’s hinge may do, albeit with out the identical refinement. The Envy x360 13’s hinge should assist the lid in 4 orientations, although, together with clamshell, media, tent, and pill, so it’s extra advanced and heavier.

Each are enticing machines with minimalist designs. The MacBook Air M2 takes on the identical blocky design because the costlier MacBook Professional fashions, and it not sports activities the mannequin’s iconic wedge design. It is available in 4 colours, Midnight, Starlight, House Grey, and silver, with matching MagSafe 3.0 charger cables. The Envy x360 13 has easy traces with a number of angles that lend it some panache, and it’s accessible in Pure Silver and Dusk Black shade schemes. The MacBook’s show bezels are barely smaller, giving it a extra fashionable look than the Envy, which additionally has a bigger backside chin to accommodate its 2-in-1 hinge.

Relating to inputting data, the MacBook Air M2 is the extra comfy laptop computer. Its Magic Keyboard stays among the many greatest accessible on laptops at this time, with shallow however crisp switches and excellent keycap sizes and spacing. It’s a real pleasure to make use of. The Drive Contact haptic touchpad can also be the most effective round, being exact and responsive throughout its whole floor with digital clicks that really feel higher than the actual factor. The Envy x360 13’s keyboard can also be wonderful, if a slight step again from Apple’s, with deeper switches with a really feel that’s simply barely much less exact. Its mechanical touchpad is an effective instance of the most effective Home windows laptops can provide, but it surely’s not as good to make use of because the MacBook’s.

The Envy x360 13 advantages from a contact show that additionally helps an energetic pen for Home windows inking. Due to a taller 16:10 show, the Envy makes for a positive digital drawing and notetaking platform, one thing the MacBook can’t match.

One other space the place the Envy wins out is in connectivity, due to the identical variety of Thunderbolt 4 ports to go together with higher legacy assist due to USB-A, and it has a microSD card reader. It additionally boasts extra up-to-date and quicker wi-fi connectivity.

Lastly, each laptops have high-resolution webcams, and HP provides in an infrared digicam for Home windows 11 passwordless login through facial recognition. The MacBook Air M2 helps a Contact ID fingerprint reader embedded within the keyboard.

Efficiency

Apple’s M2 ARM-based processor builds on the superb efficiency and effectivity of the M1. It options eight CPU cores and both eight or 10 GPU cores, the latter of which embrace optimizations for inventive processes in functions like Adobe’s Inventive Suite. The Envy x360 13 we reviewed was geared up with the 15-watt Intel Core i7-1250U, a 10-core/12-thread CPU that’s aimed toward offering wonderful productiveness efficiency. The Envy’s built-in Intel Iris Xe graphics aren’t as sturdy in inventive apps, leaving it behind the MacBook in creativity workflows.

Each laptops are wonderful productiveness machines and intently matched in CPU-intensive duties. For those who edit photographs or movies, although, the MacBook Air M2 stands out.

Show and audio

The MacBook Air M2 has a superb 13.6-inch Liquid Retina IPS show working at 16:10 and 2560 x 1664. It’s sharp, brilliant, gives nice colours, and enjoys deep distinction. Any productiveness person will love the show, as will all however probably the most demanding creators. The Envy x360 13, although, gives a 13.3-inch 16:10 2880 x 1800 OLED panel that’s sharper, gives even higher colours, has extremely deep distinction with inky blacks, and can delight all customers. Its solely weak spot in comparison with the MacBook’s show is it’s decrease brightness, but it surely’s nonetheless greater than brilliant sufficient.

The Envy x360 13 has two downward-firing audio system which might be positive for YouTube and system sounds, however the MacBook Air M2’s quad audio system sound quite a bit higher and play significantly louder with out distortion. The MacBook can also be fanless, which means it’s fully silent and so there’s no fan noise competing with the audio system for consideration.

Portability

As talked about earlier, the MacBook Air M2 is stunningly skinny at simply 0.44 inches, in comparison with the Envy x360 13 at 0.63 inches. The laptops are nearly equivalent in width and depth, an accomplishment for the MacBook given its bigger show, and the Envy is a few ounces heavier. Nonetheless, each are extremely transportable laptops that slip simply right into a backpack.

The extra important distinction is in battery life. Apple’s M2 processor is extremely environment friendly due to its ARM structure, and that confirmed up in our battery benchmarks. The Envy x360 13 did properly for a Home windows machine with a power-hungry OLED show, however the MacBook lasted significantly longer.

Two nice laptops, however one’s significantly extra reasonably priced

The HP Envy x360 13 is a extra reasonably priced laptop computer, notably as you ramp up its configuration. It’s well-built, offers wonderful productiveness efficiency and strong battery life, and enjoys the pliability of a convertible 2-in-1. The MacBook Air M2, alternatively, is the epitome of at this time’s skinny and lightweight laptop computer, offering an equally good construct, nice efficiency and even higher battery life, and Apple’s all-around excellence.

Ultimately, we’ve got to provide the nod to the Envy x360 13 given its lower cost. You merely get extra laptop computer in your cash.

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