Dell’s XPS 16 is a brand-new machine, replacing the larger XPS 17 in size and configuration. What it gives up in potential performance, it tries to make up for with a sleek (and controversial) design. Meanwhile, HP updated its largest convertible 2-in-1, the Spectre x360 16, with a smoothed-out appearance and updated components.
The XPS and Spectre lines have reputations for solid builds and attractive aesthetics, but they’re different machines. One can be flipped around into tablet mode; one can be configured with a faster GPU. As we look ahead to testing these products ourselves, here’s how the two compare.
Specs and configurations
HP Spectre x360 16 | Dell XPS 16 | |
Dimensions | 14.05 inches by 9.67 inches by 0.78 inches | 14.1 inches by 9.4 inches by 0.74 inches |
Weight | 4.3 pounds | 4.8 pounds |
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H Intel Core Ultra 7 165H Intel Core Ultra 9 185H |
Graphics | Intel Arc Graphics Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 |
Intel Arc Graphics Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 |
RAM | 16GB DDR5 32GB DDR5 |
16GB 32GB 64GB |
Display | 16.0-inch 16:10 WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS touch, 120Hz 16.0-inch 16:10 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED touch, 120Hz |
16.3-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS non-touch, 60Hz 16.3-inch 16:10 4K+ (3840 x 2400) OLED touch, 90Hz |
Storage | 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD 4TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
Touch | Yes | Optional |
Ports | 2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 1 x HDMI 1 x 3.5mm audio jack |
3 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 1 x 3.5mm audio jack 1 x microSD card reader |
Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 Wi-Fi 7 and BlueTooth 5.4 |
Wi-Fi 7 and BlueTooth 5.4 |
Webcam | 9MP with infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello | 1080p with infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello |
Operating system | Windows 11 | Windows 11 |
Battery | 83 watt-hour | 99.5 watt-hour |
Price | $1,600+ | $1,699+ |
Rating | 3.5 out of 5 stars | 3.5 out of 5 stars |
The Spectre x360 16 has a lower starting price of $1,600 (on sale for $1,250), which includes an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, Intel Arc graphics, and a 16.0-inch WQXGA+ (2560 x 1600) IPS displays. Fully configured, the Spectre costs $2,330 ($1,979 on sale) with 32GB of
The XPS 16 is more expensive, starting at $1,699 for a Core Ultra 7, 16GB of
The XPS 16 can be configured with a faster chipset, more memory and storage, a faster GPU, and a higher-res OLED display for a lot more money.
Design
The XPS 16 adopts the space-age design of the XPS 13 Plus, which is now defunct as new 13-inch and 14-inch variants share the new design. The laptop looks a lot like its predecessor, the XPS 17, on the outside, with the same all-aluminum lid and chassis in silver and graphic color schemes and anodized chrome accents along the edge.
Open it up, though, and you’ll find a keyboard with closely spaced keys, a row of LED function keys along the top, and a haptic touchpad that’s hidden on the all-glass palm rest. The keyboard and touchpad have received a lot of heat from onlookers since the announcement, disappointed that Dell has opted for the more divisive decision on its more “Pro”-level laptop. Still, the ultra-modern appearance is augmented by the thinnest display bezels around — a hallmark of the XPS brand.
The Spectre x360 16 shares its predecessor’s sleek design but has edges that have been sanded off into a smoother finish. It retains the notches in the display and rear chassis, the latter housing a Thunderbolt 4 port and audio jack for added convenience. Inside, it’s a more traditional design with a standard island keyboard and a large haptic touchpad. The all-aluminum build comes in Nightfall black, and while its side bezels are thin, its top and bottom bezels are larger — the latter to accommodate the 2-in-1 hinge that supports clamshell, tent, media, and tablet modes.
Both
As mentioned, the XPS 16 has a keyboard with large keycaps that offer no key spacing, and you’ll enjoy shallow but snappy and precise switches even as you take some time to grow accustomed to the zero-lattice layout. The Spectre x360 16’s keyboard also offers large keycaps with bold lettering and more key spacing and has light switches with a precise response that’s comfortable for long typing sessions. Given its more standard layout, the Spectre’s keyboard is likely to please more people.
The Spectre’s large haptic touchpad is excellent in its responsiveness and natural feel, while the XPS 16’s hidden touchpad also works well (with the haptics turned all the way up), and it’s large enough that the hidden design works well. Overall, the Spectre’s haptics are quicker and more realistic, making for a better overall feel. Many users will appreciate the Spectre’s physical function key and visible touchpad, and the Spectre also supports an active pen on its standard touch keyboard. The XPS 16’s
Both
Connectivity is mixed, with the XPS 16 having an additional
The Spectre x360 16 offers a 9-megapixel webcam supporting up to 2160p video and hardware-assisted low-light capabilities, compared to the XPS 16’s 1080p webcam. Both have infrared cameras supporting Windows 11 Hello facial recognition, and both have fingerprint readers embedded in their power buttons. In addition, both support user presence-sensing technologies that can lock and put them to sleep when a user leaves, wake them up, and log back in when a user returns.
To varying degrees, both
Performance
The Specture x360 16 uses the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, a 28-watt CPU with 16 cores (six Performance, eight Efficient, and two Low Power Efficient) and 22 threads, running at up to 4.8GHz. The XPS 16 matches the Spectre while offering the Core Ultra 7 165H, which runs up to 5.0GHz, and the 45-watt Core Ultra 9 185H, which runs up to 5.1GHz.
Both
The faster GPU shows up most in the Cinebench R24 GPU test and the Pugetbench Premier Pro benchmark that runs in a live version of Adobe’s Premiere Pro video editing application. The GPU can be used to speed up various tasks, and its impact is shown in significantly higher scores for the XPS 16.
Thus, the XPS 16 will be a better machine for demanding creators and gamers, while both
Geekbench 6 (single/multi) |
Handbrake (seconds) |
Cinebench R24 (single/multi/GPU) |
Pugetbench Premiere Pro |
|
HP Spectre x360 16 (Core Ultra 7 155H / RTX 4050) |
Bal: 2,234 / 11,878 Perf: 2,246 / 11,821 |
Bal: 131 Perf: 93 |
Bal: 104 / 577 / 6,672 Perf: 104 / 591 / 7,290 |
Bal: 2,875 Perf: 3,552 |
Dell XPS 16 (Core Ultra 7 155H / RTX 4070) |
Bal: 2,196 / 12,973 Perf: 2,238 / 12,836 |
Bal: 69 Perf: 68 |
Bal: 100 / 838 / 9,721 Perf: 102 / 895 / 10,477 |
Bal: 5,401 Perf: 5,433 |
Display
The Spectre x360 16 has two display options, WQXGA+ (2560 x 1600) IPS and 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED. Both run at up to 120Hz. The XPS 16 has optional FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS and
The Spectre’s low-end display has a higher resolution, while its higher-end display has a lower resolution, providing mixed sharpness compared to the XPS 16. We tested both OLED displays, and they both have the usual bright and accurate colors and deep contrast. We can’t predict the performance of the IPS panels.
As a 2-in-1, both Spectres’ display options are pen- and touch-enabled, while the XPS 16’s
Portability
Both
The XPS 16 has a larger battery than the Spectre x360 16 while offering a more efficient IPS panel and a more power-hungry OLED display. The Dell also utilizes more powerful CPUs at the high end. Battery life will, therefore, vary greatly based on each laptop’s configuration. Neither is likely to get all-day battery life.
The Dell XPS 16 looks like the more popular laptop
The XPS 16 is a faster laptop with a higher-resolution OLED display option, promising the best experience for creators and gamers. It’s a more futuristic design, with some elements such as the LED function keys and hidden touchpad being less attractive to many users. The Spectre x360 16 offers a convertible 2-in-1’s flexibility and isn’t as fast, particularly given the XPS 16’s faster GPU options.
While the XPS 16 is more expensive, it’s a more mainstream device that will appeal to more users. Productivity users and media consumers will appreciate the Spectre’s more flexible design.