HP Spectre 13.3 vs MacBook 12

[maflynn]

LOL that's almost full circle 🙂 and I thought you were happy with a new MAC

Very much so, my iMac is the best computer I've ever owned, but that doesn't mean I don't have other needs that only a windows machine can solve.

I currently have a SP3 for my mobilities needs, and the SB certainly looks like its an upgrade.

 

[SteveJUAE]

I played with the Surface Book in Best Buy the other day. Like the SP4, MS had done an excellent job of cleaning up the bugs, but the one thing they can't fix is it's obvious first gen drawbacks.

If I were a betting man, I'd say the SB2 will address the current SB's shortcomings by adding a quad core CPU, and boosting the battery life in the tablet section by another couple-three hours. These are the two things it needs to be a better workhorse laptop than the MBP, and to make the tablet portion more than an interesting aside.

...and if it doesn't, then the arrival of a slightly underwhelming SB2 will at least knock a few hundred bucks off the price of the original.

Yep would be nice to see continuous improvement as long as the starting price lowest spec is not extortionate

 

[Renzatic]

Totally agree Microsoft is absolutely on a mission to resolve issue in it`s hardware & software, with the Mac & OS X Apple is snoozing, living on yesteryears IOS profits. One is innovating & imaginative, the other is only looking to gouge the customer ever deeper for the same rehashed product...

I wouldn't say Apple's being lazy, it's just that they're in a more uncomfortable position than MS is on that front. They make a lot of money selling people iPads and Macbooks together. Unless they jacked the entry level prices up to ridiculous extremes to cover the loss, a hybrid iPadBook would cut into both of those segments, netting them less money overall.

Microsoft didn't have a strong tablet or laptop market before now. They could afford to blaze new trails, simply because they didn't have anything to lose. Apple doesn't have that luxury.

 

[smelly cat]

Is anyone keeping tabs on when the HP Spectre will be available in Canada? I can't seem to find concrete information on a release date.

 

[KPOM]

Very much so, my iMac is the best computer I've ever owned, but that doesn't mean I don't have other needs that only a windows machine can solve.

I currently have a SP3 for my mobilities needs, and the SB certainly looks like its an upgrade.

Do you need the touchscreen? Is there any obstacle to using a MacBook (or an Air/Pro) with Boot Camp?

 

[Renzatic]

Do you need the touchscreen? Is there any obstacle to using a MacBook (or an Air/Pro) with Boot Camp?

You'd be surprised at how useful being able to touch the screen can be on occasion. Plus, the fact the Surface Book is a hybrid does mean it offers some advantages that the MBP can't.

Though I would say that, at this very moment, the MBP is a better buy if you need a portable workhorse PC, since it's quad core processor is a bit more snappy with 4k video than the SB's lower end dual core.

 

[maflynn]

Do you need the touchscreen? Is there any obstacle to using a MacBook (or an Air/Pro) with Boot Camp?

Touchscreen is a big plus, I like the idea of the SurfaceBook detaching from the bottom and becoming a tablet.

As for the Spectre, I love the design, though the screen is what stopping me the most. I'm not in the market at the moment, so its not like I need to rush into it. I'll read a few reviews, determine what best fits my needs. The SB is back to being on my short list however.

What's odd is, the MacBook's screen feels small, yes, my SP3 has a similarly dimensioned screen, but for some (completely non-logical) reason, it feels kind of small, perhaps because the screen doesn't fill the entire back panel.

 

[LouisLoh]

The new ZenBook from ASUS looks great. My only gripes/worries are

1. 16:9 aspect ratio (I honestly don't mind the 1080p).
2. I'm highly doubtful this is going to last 9h on a charge
3. How loud/hot is it gonna run with a Core i chip + fan?
4. Can a Windows OEM finally pull off a decent trackpad implementation?
5. I need OS X.

That said, the design is stunning, especially the blue model, and this machine is jam packed with specs (TB3, ?camera, Core i, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) compared to the rMB. A very respectable challenger to my MacBook 😉 Finally the competition has caught up..

 

[maflynn]

Can a Windows OEM finally pull off a decent trackpad implementation?

That's been one of the biggest hangups. Since I generally hate all trackpads (including Apple's), I use a mouse when ever possible. Still, its like night and day using a Mac and then a PC regarding the trackpad. Some laptops that I've used had horrible trackpads.

 

[Serban]

The new ZenBook from ASUS looks great. My only gripes/worries are

1. 16:9 aspect ratio (I honestly don't mind the 1080p).
2. I'm highly doubtful this is going to last 9h on a charge
3. How loud/hot is it gonna run with a Core i chip + fan?
4. Can a Windows OEM finally pull off a decent trackpad implementation?
5. I need OS X.

That said, the design is stunning, especially the blue model, and this machine is jam packed with specs (TB3, ?camera, Core i, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) compared to the rMB. A very respectable challenger to my MacBook 😉 Finally the competition has caught up..

Aspect ratio you could used to, you will get like in spectre around 7 hours, with an i7 the heat and noise is very unpleasant in some workflow,trackpad and the keyboard are way behind the macook. If you tried to press a little bit harder on the keys, the entire board that sustaine the keyboard is moving easy. And i guess you saw that on table the macbook is still thiner than spectre or this one. I think they dont calculate the rubber..i dont know

 

[KPOM]

The new ZenBook from ASUS looks great. My only gripes/worries are

1. 16:9 aspect ratio (I honestly don't mind the 1080p).
2. I'm highly doubtful this is going to last 9h on a charge
3. How loud/hot is it gonna run with a Core i chip + fan?
4. Can a Windows OEM finally pull off a decent trackpad implementation?
5. I need OS X.

That said, the design is stunning, especially the blue model, and this machine is jam packed with specs (TB3, ?camera, Core i, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) compared to the rMB. A very respectable challenger to my MacBook 😉 Finally the competition has caught up..

http://www.cnet.com/products/asus-zenbook-3/

One possible issue is the keyboard. Despite the key travel it looks like it might have a traditional scissor design and not be as accurate. 16:9 is an issue for me, as well. My work notebook is 16:9 12.5" and the MacBook's 16:10 is noticeably better for viewing space despite the smaller size.

I'm also a bit skeptical on the battery. Granted the 1080p display will use less power. Also, ASUS is claiming 72% NTSC coverage. While 100% sRGB is also 72% of NTSC I wonder why they opted to use that metric (i.e. are they saying it is not 100% sRGB but instead covers a different part of the NTSC gamut?).

Did ASUS claim TB3? I thought they just said USB-C and fast charging. AnandTech says USB 3.0 with QuickCharge 3.

Interestingly the USB-C and audio jacks are on the opposite sides from where they are on the MacBook. I'm wondering if market research told them users would rather have the port there for charging and connecting peripherals or if it was arbitrary. The $999 model with 4GB seems like it unnecessarily skimps. Maybe they should have put an 8GB model with an m7 with active cooling at that price point. It would still be "faster than the MacBook" since it wouldn't throttle as much.

This does appear to be a good design, though perhaps not the "World's most prestigious." ASUS seems to be aiming high. That said, from the Anandtech blog their presentation looked a bit too much like Samsung circa 2014 (all they did was compare themselves to others - Apple MacBook and Microsoft Surface 4).

What this does show is that Apple hit the mark with the MacBook. It is the notebook that everyone is comparing their offerings against. So maybe the market for ultrathin notebooks with a single port is bigger than the naysayers realize.

 

[Renzatic]

4. Can a Windows OEM finally pull off a decent trackpad implementation?

I don't know if it's for lack of trying or what, but the OEMs just can't seem to match Apple on the trackpad front. MS has finally managed to come dangerously close with the SB, and the new SP4 keyboard cover, so there's proof out there it can be done. It's just that Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, and the rest...don't.

 

[Queen6]

I don't know if it's for lack of trying or what, but the OEMs just can't seem to match Apple on the trackpad front. MS has finally managed to come dangerously close with the SB, and the new SP4 keyboard cover, so there's proof out there it can be done. It's just that Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, and the rest...don't.

Some of the OEM`s are now using the MS trackpad, so we expect things to get better on that front.

Q-6

 

[Renzatic]

Some of the OEM`s are now using the MS trackpad, so we expect things to get better on that front.

They damn well better. 😡

 

[Queen6]

They damn well better. 😡

Maybe Apple holds the patents, as for the life of me I don't see why Windows OEM`s trackpads are so poor. That said the MS trackpads are equality as good as Apple`s prior to the implementation of "Force Touch"

Q-6

 

[Renzatic]

Maybe Apple holds the patents, as for the life of me I don't see why Windows OEM`s trackpads are so poor. That said the MS trackpads are equality as good as Apple`s prior to the implementation of "Force Touch"

Apple does hold some patents, which is why it's taken so long for anyone to come up with an equivalent alternative implementation. Though for the most part, I believe the major reason why we haven't seen a good trackpad on anything besides a Macbook is because the OEMs decided to settle on "just good enough" for so long.

The OEMs didn't previously compete with Apple in the same market. The Macbook practically owned the boutique laptop segment, with everyone else being more than happy to settle for the rest. It wasn't until the traditional laptop market started shrinking, and MS making a move to compete against their own customers with hardware of their own, that they were spurred onto bigger and better things.

 

[Queen6]

Apple does hold some patents, which is why it's taken so long for anyone to come up with an equivalent alternative implementation. Though for the most part, I believe the major reason why we haven't seen a good trackpad on anything besides a Macbook is because the OEMs decided to settle on "just good enough" for so long.

The OEMs didn't previously compete with Apple in the same market. The Macbook practically owned the boutique laptop segment, with everyone else being more than happy to settle for the rest. It wasn't until the traditional laptop market started shrinking, and MS making a move to compete against their own customers with hardware of their own, that they were spurred onto bigger and better things.

Personally all for it, as with no competition, combined with Apple`s obvious focus on IOS devices, the Mac has just become mediocre.

Q-6

 

[SteveJUAE]

Touchscreen is a big plus, I like the idea of the SurfaceBook detaching from the bottom and becoming a tablet.

As for the Spectre, I love the design, though the screen is what stopping me the most. I'm not in the market at the moment, so its not like I need to rush into it. I'll read a few reviews, determine what best fits my needs. The SB is back to being on my short list however.

What's odd is, the MacBook's screen feels small, yes, my SP3 has a similarly dimensioned screen, but for some (completely non-logical) reason, it feels kind of small, perhaps because the screen doesn't fill the entire back panel.

I think it may be the aspect ratios playing tricks on your eyes 🙂 and the SB or the SP4 would be better still.
[doublepost=1464635373][/doublepost]

That's been one of the biggest hangups. Since I generally hate all trackpads (including Apple's), I use a mouse when ever possible. Still, its like night and day using a Mac and then a PC regarding the trackpad. Some laptops that I've used had horrible trackpads.

I was never a big trackpad user myself for many years even on MBA/MBP as they are not really a good substitute in many productivity software IMO

However I did enjoy the TP on the rMB and found no problems on the SP4 and when I swap back and use the rMB it feels equally odd

For you the SB is suppose to have one of the best TP around, personally all these extra swipes and gestures are lost on me and my sons also find 3D touch somewhat over rated, but each to there own. I find touch screens a far greater advantage
[doublepost=1464636252][/doublepost]

Apple does hold some patents, which is why it's taken so long for anyone to come up with an equivalent alternative implementation. Though for the most part, I believe the major reason why we haven't seen a good trackpad on anything besides a Macbook is because the OEMs decided to settle on "just good enough" for so long.

The OEMs didn't previously compete with Apple in the same market. The Macbook practically owned the boutique laptop segment, with everyone else being more than happy to settle for the rest. It wasn't until the traditional laptop market started shrinking, and MS making a move to compete against their own customers with hardware of their own, that they were spurred onto bigger and better things.

LOL Sony high end Pro Z range turned out some stunning feature rich innovative laptops that were small and light with full carbon bodies whilst Apple were still playing with white plastic, they just did not shout about it and it's a shame they lost their way and bailed out but at least the new Vaio company are trying

 

[baypharm]

Has anyone seen the new HP Spectre 13.3 ?

It's thinner than the MacBook, but has Intel Core i5/i7 processor and three USB-Type C ports.

The keyboard also has more travel than does the one on the MacBook.

The body is made of aluminum and carbon fiber.

The design-feat on that is impressive.

I have one. Got it 4 days ago. Absolutely love it. Getting about 10 hours battery life. The whole thing feels solid in your hands. The keyboard is really special. A joy to type long documents. Sure beat the Macbook I had for 13 days. The resolution is not as great as the MacBook but to me it looks better. It has no touch screen which is a joy. The processing cores are still only two but it is powerful enough for what I need. If you don't mind Windows 10 it is worth a look to see if it fits your needs.

 

[ShionoyaTamaki]

HP spectre uses usb-c for charging, but has circuitry to detect non HP usb-c cables for charging? Kinda defeats the whole purpose of usb-c being a standard.

 

[SteveJUAE]

HP spectre uses usb-c for charging, but has circuitry to detect non HP usb-c cables for charging? Kinda defeats the whole purpose of usb-c being a standard.

Lisa said otherwise:

"Lisa Gade Mod Ian Shinbrot • 7 days ago


The webcam doesn't support Windows Hello. Other USB-C chargers can work, the 12" MacBook charger works with it."

I think this is like we see with the rMB some 3rd party stuff works others do not eg the Dell port extender

 

[Queen6]

Another in the flyweight, and a convertible - Yoga 900S

Q-6

 

[SteveJUAE]

Another in the flyweight, and a convertible - Yoga 900S

Q-6

What a good compromise if you do not want to go to a full 2 in 1 like the SP4 and can manage with the M processor performance

 

[Queen6]

What a good compromise if you do not want to go to a full 2 in 1 like the SP4 and can manage with the M processor performance

Certainly interests, going to see about the availability locally to see one first hand.

Q-6

 

[SteveJUAE]

Certainly interests, going to see about the availability locally to see one first han.

Q-6

Let us know, the touch screen and pen is great advantage
[doublepost=1464860370][/doublepost]Shame Sony never continued with this little beauty from 2009 11" 1.5lbs/0.75kg with plenty of ports plus 3G, only shame was it was Atom powered at the time, but it would of had 7 iterations by now with M processors to consider. It also had a bundled sheet battery giving 12 hrs run time and came in 6 colours (Black, Carbon, Gold, Pink, White, Silver). It was way ahead of it's time and aimed at exec type market with it's high price tag, then. If they had continued with it I doubt we would of seen the rMB and others.