HP Spectre 13 Could Give MacBook, MacBook Air, And Dell XPS 13 Major Competition

Last week, HP introduced the razor-thin Spectre 13 notebook, which has caused quite a ruckus, especially due to the amazingly thin design. The Verge says it’s HP’s attempt to out-design Apple.

“HP has been trying to make a laptop that will catch everyone’s attention. Now, HP thinks it’s nailed it. Its newest laptop is called the Spectre 13 (or sometimes, simply, the HP Spectre), and — at just 10.4mm thick — it’s supposed to be the thinnest any major laptop manufacturer has ever made. That’s thinner than both Apple’s MacBook (13.2mm thick) and Dell’s XPS 13 (15.2mm thick).”

The article says that one really has to see the device to believe it. They love the fact that the HP Spectre 13 doesn’t have “gimmicks” like a 4K screen or a detachable battery — it’s a simple, straightforward notebook. Tech Times is impressed, as well.

“Even for someone who uses a MacBook, just a few minutes with HP’s new Spectre 13 laptop is enough to have you seriously consider making the switch,” claims author Lauren Keating, who notes that the laptop is just 10.4 mm thin (as thin as a AAA battery).

Keating is also impressed with the aluminum chassis and carbon fiber bottom. She adds that the Spectre 13 only weighs 2.45 pounds, which makes it light enough to balance in one hand. Engadget is raving about HP’s new laptop, as well.

“And, at 10.4mm thin, the Spectre is about as thick as a AAA battery, making it not just the skinniest PC in HP’s portfolio but the slimmest notebook on the entire market. Think of it as HP’s answer to Apple’s 12-inch MacBook, except with a bigger screen, extra horsepower and a little more bling.”

However, some people in the comments section after the article aren’t as impressed.

“Too much bezel and not enough resolution. Other than that I’m pretty shocked this has a HP logo on it,” says Jash.

“Come on folks, don’t be idiots. Dana is just kidding about the 1080p resolution. It’s just a late April fools joke. There is no way HP could be that stupid… *looks up specs*… 1080p WTF?!?!?” exclaims Nullcodes.

Indeed, the 1080p resolution could be a problem. The Dell XPS 13, which has the same size screen, has a 3200 x 1800 pixel resolution screen. The 12-inch MacBook has a 2304 x 1440 pixel resolution screen. A 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution screen was a big deal in 2013, but with some laptops even offering 4K screens these days, some think HP is behind the curve.

Still, there is a lot of excitement for the new HP Spectre 13 on Twitter.

The HP Spectre 13.3 Is The 12" MacBook Killer: Hewlett Packard or HP has managed to shine itself with what it… https://t.co/WIyeN6gDYl

— Rumor About (@rumorabout) April 6, 2016

One major difference between the Spectre 13 and the MacBook is that HP’s device runs either an Intel Core i5 or i7 6th-generation processor, unlike the Macbook’s mobile Core M processor that helps with battery life, but isn’t powerful enough for advanced power users. Pre-orders start for the HP Spectre 13 later this month. Which device would you rather have — the HP Spectre 13, the MacBook, the MacBook Air, or the Dell XPS 13? Let us know in the comments section.

[Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]