Head to head

MacBook Pro 16" (2024) vs HP Spectre x360 16 (2024)

MacBook Pro 16" (2024) leads 6 to 3 on the 9 rankable specs, but HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) costs $800 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Panel: MacBook Pro 16" lists Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); HP Spectre x360 16 lists 2.8K OLED Touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass (HP sheet, 2026-09-02).
Processor: MacBook Pro 16" lists Apple M3 Max (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); HP Spectre x360 16 lists Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (HP sheet, 2026-09-02).
Memory: MacBook Pro 16" lists 36GB unified (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); HP Spectre x360 16 lists 32GB LPDDR5x (HP sheet, 2026-09-02).
Claimed battery life: MacBook Pro 16" lists Up to 22 hours video (other published figure, not on maker sheet); HP Spectre x360 16 lists ~10–12 hours mixed productivity (other published figure, not on maker sheet).
Size: MacBook Pro 16" lists 16.2 inches (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); HP Spectre x360 16 lists 16.0 inches (HP sheet, 2026-09-02).

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

MacBook Pro 16" (2024)

$2,4996 spec wins

Swap

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HP Spectre x360 16 (2024)

$1,6993 spec wins

Swap

Compare a different laptop

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your laptop.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 6 to 3

Buy the MacBook Pro 16".

Leads 6 of 9 rankable overall specs; HP Spectre x360 16 takes 3.
Memory: 36GB unified vs 32GB LPDDR5x
Claimed battery life: Up to 22 hours video vs ~10–12 hours mixed productivity
HP Spectre x360 16 is $800 cheaper. Pay the difference only if memory matters to you.

Check first: the MacBook Pro 16" has no touchscreen. the MacBook Pro 16" has macOS, not Windows. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

6 MacBook Pro 16"9 rankable of 29 specsHP Spectre x360 16 3

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No touchscreenrow
No pen or touch input for marking up PDFs or sketching.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" · NoClear:HP Spectre x360 16 · Yes (Pen & Touch enabled)
RAM cannot be upgradedrow
The memory you buy today is the memory you keep.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" · No (soldered)Trips:HP Spectre x360 16 · No (soldered)
macOS, not Windowsrow
Windows-only software such as some CAD, games and corporate VPN clients needs a workaround.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" · macOSClear:HP Spectre x360 16 · Windows 11 Home
Over 4 lb (1.8 kg)row
Heavy in a backpack on a daily commute.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" · 4.7 lbTrips:HP Spectre x360 16 · 4.30 lb

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

4 of 4 differ

Panel≠

Apple

Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED

2.8K OLED Touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass

Processor≠

Apple

Apple M3 Max

Intel Core Ultra 7 155H

Memory

Apple

36GB unified

32GB LPDDR5x

Claimed battery life

Apple

Up to 22 hours video

~10–12 hours mixed productivity

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Apple: What to watch for

Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

HP: What to watch for

Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

MacBook Pro 16"$2,4996 wins

HP Spectre x360 16$1,6993 wins

Display Performance Build & input Ports Battery Software

27 of 29 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Display

leads 3-1

Display specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024).
Size	16.2 inches (wins this row: higher)	16.0 inches
Panel	Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED	2.8K OLED Touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass
Resolution	3456 × 2234 (wins this row: higher)	2880 × 1800
Refresh rate	120 Hz ProMotion	120 Hz VRR
BrightnessNot on the official sheet	1,000 nits SDR / 1,600 nits HDR peak (wins this row: higher)	400 nits SDR / 500 nits HDR
Color	P3, True Tone	100% DCI-P3, Low Blue Light
Touchscreen	No	Yes (Pen & Touch enabled) (wins this row: has it)

Performance

5 differences

Performance specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024).
Processor	Apple M3 Max	Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Graphics	Up to 40-core Apple GPU (unified)	Intel Arc Graphics + optional NVIDIA RTX 4050
Memory	36GB unified (wins this row: higher)	32GB LPDDR5x
RAM upgradable	No (soldered)	No (soldered)
Storage	1TB SSD	1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD
Storage upgradable	No (soldered)	Yes (1× M.2 slot) (wins this row: has it)

Build & input

7 differences

Build & input specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024).
Weight	4.7 lb (2.14 kg)	4.30 lb (1.95 kg) (wins this row: lower)
Thickness	16.8 mm (wins this row: lower)	19.8 mm
Materials	Aluminum unibody	Sandblasted CNC Aluminum
Keyboard	Magic Keyboard with Touch ID	Full-size backlit nightfall black keyboard
Trackpad	Force Touch, large	Haptic glass trackpad
Webcam	1080p Center Stage	HP Wide Vision 9MP IR camera with temporal noise reduction
Speakers	Six-speaker Spatial Audio	Quad speakers tuned by Poly Studio with Audio Boost

Ports

5 differences

Ports specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024).
Thunderbolt / USB-C	3× Thunderbolt 4	2× Thunderbolt 4 with USB Type-C + 1× USB-A
HDMI	HDMI 2.1	HDMI 2.1
SD card	SDXC	No
MagSafe	MagSafe 3	No
Headphone jack	Yes (3.5 mm)	Yes (3.5 mm combo)
Charger	140W USB-C + MagSafe 3	100W USB Type-C power adapter

Battery

leads 1-0

Battery specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024).
Claimed battery lifeNot on the official sheet	Up to 22 hours video (wins this row: higher)	~10–12 hours mixed productivity

Software

2 differences

Software specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024).
Operating system	macOS	Windows 11 Home
Repairability	Low (soldered memory/storage)	Medium (accessible SSD and Wi-Fi card)

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

MacBook Pro 16" (2024) source HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

MacBook Pro 16" (2024)

16-inch creative workstation with M3 Max, mini-LED XDR display, and all-day battery.

M3 Max sustained performance
Mini-LED XDR display with 120Hz ProMotion
18+ hour video playback battery

What you give up

No touchscreen
Soldered RAM and SSD
macOS-only software

Full MacBook Pro 16" (2024) specs →

Pick this one if

HP Spectre x360 16 (2024)

Versatile 2-in-1 convertible laptop with 2.8K OLED touchscreen and 360-degree geared hinge.

Stunning 2.8K 120Hz OLED 360° convertible touch display
Included rechargeable tilt pen with magnetic attachment
9MP AI camera with night vision and auto-framing

What you give up

Heavy for one-handed tablet use
Battery life decreases in high-refresh OLED mode

Full HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) specs →

Best for each use

Travel

In a bag every day: weight, battery, a screen you can read on a train

For travel, buy the MacBook Pro 16".

Leads 3 of 4 rankable travel specs; HP Spectre x360 16 takes 1.
Claimed battery life: Up to 22 hours video vs ~10–12 hours mixed productivity
Thickness: 16.8 mm vs 19.8 mm
HP Spectre x360 16 is $800 cheaper. Pay the difference only if claimed battery life matters to you.

Heavy work

Video, 3D, compiles or games: CPU, GPU, memory and panel quality

Too close to call on heavy work from the spec sheets. Only memory is rankable here.

Processor: Apple M3 Max vs Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Graphics: Up to 40-core Apple GPU vs Intel Arc Graphics + optional NVIDIA RTX 4050

Longevity

Keep it five years: upgradable parts, repairability, ports without dongles

Too close to call on longevity from the spec sheets. Only storage upgradable is rankable here.

Repairability: Low vs Medium
Thunderbolt / USB-C: 3× Thunderbolt 4 vs 2× Thunderbolt 4 with USB Type-C + 1× USB-A

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

MacBook Pro 16" (2024) spec sheet HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: MacBook Pro 16" (2024) ↗ · HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the MacBook Pro 16" or the HP Spectre x360 16?

HP Spectre x360 16 costs $800 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the MacBook Pro 16" or HP Spectre x360 16?

MacBook Pro 16" has this deal-breaker: no touchscreen. No pen or touch input for marking up PDFs or sketching.

Which is better for travel, the MacBook Pro 16" or the HP Spectre x360 16?

For travel, buy the MacBook Pro 16". Leads 3 of 4 rankable travel specs; HP Spectre x360 16 takes 1. Claimed battery life: Up to 22 hours video vs ~10–12 hours mixed productivity

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 29 specs tracked here, 20 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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