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

In case you’re taking a look at 13-inch machines, then these two laptops must be in your shortlist. They’re fairly completely different, although, and so the selection between them isn’t a straightforward one to make. We’ll attempt to make it just a little simpler.

Specs

  HP Envy x360 13 Apple MacBook Air M2
Dimensions 11.75 inches x 8.46 inches x 0.63 inches 11.97 inches by 8.46 inches by 0.44 inches
Weight 2.95 kilos 2.7 kilos
Processor Intel Core i5-1230U
Intel Core i5-1250U
Apple M2 eight-core CPU, eight-Core GPU
Apple Me eight-core CPU, 10-Core GPU
Graphics Intel Iris Xe Apple M2
RAM 8GB LPDDR4x
16GB LPDDR4x
8GB
16GB
24GB
Show 13.3-inch 16:10 WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS
13.3-inch 16:10 WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS
13.3-inch 16:10 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED
13.6-inch 16:10 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina IPS
Storage 512GB PCIe SSD
1TB PCIe SSD
256GB PCIe SSD
512GB PCIe SSD
1TB PCIe SSD
2TB PCIe SSD
Contact Sure No
Ports 2 x USB-C4 with Thunderbolt 4
2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2
1 x 3.5mm audio jack
1 x microSD card reader
2 USB-C with Thunderbolt 4
3.5mm audio jack
Wi-fi Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0
Webcam 5MP with infrared digicam for Home windows 11 Hiya 1080p
Working system Home windows 11 macOS Monterey
Battery 66 watt-hours 52.6 watt-hours
Worth $900+ $1,200+
Ranking 4.5 out of 5 stars 4 out of 5 stars

Worth 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 word that HP usually places their laptops on sale. Once we reviewed the Envy x360 13, for instance, the entry-level configuration was simply $700, making it a real discount.

Design

It’s onerous 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 because of 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 clean and permits opening the lid with one hand, which HP’s hinge can even 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 complicated and heavier.

Each are enticing machines with minimalist designs. The MacBook Air M2 takes on the identical blocky design because the dearer MacBook Professional fashions, and it now 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 strains with a number of angles that lend it some panache, and it’s obtainable in Pure Silver and Dusk Black coloration schemes. The MacBook’s show bezels are barely smaller, giving it a extra trendy look than the Envy, which additionally has a bigger backside chin to accommodate its 2-in-1 hinge.

On the subject of inputting data, the MacBook Air M2 is the extra comfy laptop computer. Its Magic Keyboard stays among the many finest obtainable on laptops in the present day, with shallow however crisp switches and ideal keycap sizes and spacing. It’s a real pleasure to make use of. The Power Contact haptic touchpad can be the very best round, being exact and responsive throughout its complete floor with digital clicks that really feel higher than the true factor. The Envy x360 13’s keyboard can be glorious, 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 very best 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. Because of a taller 16:10 show, the Envy makes for a fantastic digital drawing and notetaking platform, one thing the MacBook can’t match.

One other space the place the Envy wins out is in connectivity, because of the identical variety of Thunderbolt 4 ports to go along with higher legacy assist because of 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

The lid and keyboard of the MacBook Air.

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 embody optimizations for inventive processes in purposes like Adobe’s Artistic Suite. The Envy x360 13 we reviewed was outfitted with the 15-watt Intel Core i7-1250U, a 10-core/12-thread CPU that’s geared toward offering glorious productiveness efficiency. The Envy’s built-in Intel Iris Xe graphics aren’t as robust in inventive apps, leaving it behind the MacBook in creativity workflows.

Each laptops are glorious productiveness machines and intently matched in CPU-intensive duties. In case you edit photographs or movies, although, the MacBook Air M2 stands out.

HP Envy x360 13
(Core i7-1250U)
Apple MacBook Air M2
(Apple M2)
Geekbench 5
(single / multi)
Bal: 1,435 / 7,285
Perf: 1,460 / 7,288
Bal: 1,925 / 8,973
Perf: N/A
Handbrake
(seconds)
Bal: 136
Perf: 138
Bal: 151
Perf: N/A
Cinebench R23
(single / multi)
Bal: 1,504 / 7,436
Perf: 1,504 / 7,441
Bal: 1,600 / 7,938
Perf: N/A

Show and audio

HP Envy x360 13 2022 front view showing display.

The MacBook Air M2 has a wonderful 13.6-inch Liquid Retina IPS show operating at 16:10 and 2560 x 1664. It’s sharp, vivid, provides nice colours, and enjoys deep distinction. Any productiveness person will love the show, as will all however essentially the most demanding creators. The Envy x360 13, although, provides a 13.3-inch 16:10 2880 x 1800 OLED panel that’s sharper, provides 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 vivid sufficient.

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

HP Envy x360 13
(OLED)
Apple MacBook Air M2
(IPS)
Brightness
(nits)
391 486
AdobeRGB gamut 100% 90%
 sRGB gamut 98% 100%
Accuracy
(DeltaE, decrease is healthier)
0.72 1.08
Distinction ratio 29,420:1 1,310:1

Portability

A side of the MacBook Air showing the ports.

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 virtually equivalent in width and depth, an accomplishment for the MacBook given its bigger show, and the Envy is a few ounces heavier. However, 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 because of its ARM structure, and that confirmed up in our battery benchmarks. The Envy x360 13 did effectively for a Home windows machine with a power-hungry OLED show, however the MacBook lasted significantly longer.

HP Envy x360 13
(Core i7-1250U)
Apple MacBook Air M2
(Apple M2)
Internet looking 9 hours, half-hour 17 hours, 59 minutes
Video 15 hours, 31 minutes 21 hours, 9 minutes

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, supplies glorious productiveness efficiency and strong battery life, and enjoys the pliability of a convertible 2-in-1. The MacBook Air M2, however, is the epitome of in the present day’s skinny and light-weight laptop computer, offering an equally good construct, nice efficiency and even higher battery life, and Apple’s all-around excellence.

In the long run, we’ve to provide the nod to the Envy x360 13 given its cheaper price. You merely get extra laptop computer to your cash.

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