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Face Off: Lenovo Yoga 900 vs. HP Spectre x360 13 vs. Dell Inspiron 13 7348

Dual-purpose notebook. While notebook sales this year are down worldwide, multi-mode models are expected to become more popular in the years to follow. Choices are already growing, so let's take a close look at three of them in the 13-inch space.

Notebooks with 360-degree hinges tend to be more ergonomic at smaller sizes. The 13-inch category feels like the sweet spot for this type of convertible as it's not too big to be cumbersome in tablet mode and not too small to be limiting in screen real estate.

With the launch of the recent Yoga 900, we feel that now is a perfect time to compare the three currently popular convertibles in the 13-inch space. These are the high-end consumer notebooks and, in the case of the Inspiron 13, can carry a few business features as well. If touchscreen and multi-mode functionality are on the top of your list for your next big laptop purchase, then we recommend looking at one of these three in our latest Face Off.

We encourage users to check out our dedicated review pages below for more data and detailed analyses of each of the three models. This comparison is by no means a replacement, but a condensed aid for those on the fence.

Lenovo Yoga 900 Review (Yoga 3 Pro 2014)

HP Spectre x360 13 Review (Spectre x360 13 early 2015)

Dell Inspiron 13 7348 Review (Inspiron 13 7347)

Lenovo Yoga 900
Lenovo Yoga 900
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Dell Inspiron 13 7348
Dell Inspiron 13 7348

Case

There is no denying that these are sleek devices carefully designed to be safely turned and rotated in orientations that are atypical for a standard notebook. As shown in our comparison below, the dimensions of these notebooks are very similar especially in length and width. The Lenovo solution, however, is the thinnest by almost 5 mm compared to the Dell. Consequently, the Dell is roughly 400 grams and 200 grams heavier than the Lenovo and HP, respectively, which directly impacts its handling in tablet mode.

If the Inspiron is heaviest, does that mean it is also the strongest built? Not necessarily as we can notice plastic around the base of the unit. This is compared to the unibody aluminum on the HP Spectre and rubberized surfaces on the Yoga 900. Construction quality is still very good and is quite resistant to twists and depressions. Nonetheless, HP comes out on top as far as quality is concerned at the cost of less accessible internals.

An interesting factor to keep in mind is that while the pure aluminum alloy surface of the HP may appear nice and sharp, it is not ideal for handling when in tablet mode. The Yoga 900 and Inspiron 13 are rubberized either around the edges and corners of the outer lid or around the base for an easier grip. The hinges on the HP tend to teeter slightly more as well.

We find that the Yoga 900 offers the better balance between weight, construction quality, and handling. This latter attribute is especially important for this type of notebook.

Winner: Lenovo Yoga 900

330.12 mm / 13 inch 222 mm / 8.74 inch 19.41 mm / 0.764 inch 1.7 kg3.68 lbs325 mm / 12.8 inch 218 mm / 8.58 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.5 kg3.21 lbs324 mm / 12.8 inch 225 mm / 8.86 inch 14.9 mm / 0.587 inch 1.3 kg2.8 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Ports in Comparison

Lenovo Yoga 900
Lenovo Yoga 900
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Dell Inspiron 13 7347
Dell Inspiron 13 7347

Connectivity

There are important differences between the connectivity features of each notebook. The HP is the only notebook with three full-size USB 3.0 ports and no USB 2.0. The Lenovo is the only one with no mini DisplayPort or even a HDMI port. Instead, video-out is done through the newer USB 3.1 Type-C port, which ultimately means one more adapter most users may need to carry. The Inspiron uses the larger but less expensive 2.5-inch SATA drive for storage instead of the costlier M.2. Note that the Inspiron 13 7347 is lacking the handy stylus slot as it is only available on the Inspiron 13 7348.

There is no objective winner in this category due to the many non-overlapping advantages one notebook has over the other.

Winner: Tie

Ports and Connections

Lenovo Yoga 900 HP Spectre x360 13 Dell Inspiron 13 7348
USB 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0 3x USB 3.0 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0
Video-out 1x USB 3.1 Type-C 1x HDMI, 1x mDP 1x HDMI
Other SD reader, 1x 3.5 mm audio SD reader, 1x 3.5 mm audio SD reader, 1x 3.5 mm audio, Stylus slot
Storage Bays 1x M.2 1x M.2 1x 2.5-inch SATA III

Input Devices

Starting off with the Yoga 900, its keyboard offers the most shallow travel and weakest feedback of the three. It's far from bad as it's all relative, but Lenovo can certainly improve upon the keyboard for future iterations. Meanwhile, the HP offers a similar level of travel, though with noticeably better feedback. Our main gripe with the keyboard here is that the white keys blend it a bit too well with the white backlight, so the characters can be difficult to see. Additionally, the notebook provides just one level of backlight brightness compared to two on the Yoga 900.

The keyboard on the Inspiron 15 is unfortunately closer in travel and feedback to the Yoga 900 than the HP. The spongy pressure point takes some getting used to and the center of the keyboard tends to yield with pressure.

The Yoga 900 sports the better touchpad out of the three. Travel is short, but feedback is very firm with a satisfying clock. The extra-wide touchpad on the HP is deceiving because a portion of it is not for cursor movement. Gliding and precision are still good, though feedback is weak. Dell is once again last as the accuracy of its touchpad is not always consistent.

Winner: Keyboard -- HP Spectre x360 13

              Touchpad -- Lenovo Yoga 900

Lenovo Yoga 900
Lenovo Yoga 900
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Dell Inspiron 13 7348
Dell Inspiron 13 7348

Display

Which notebook is carrying the better 13.3-inch IPS glossy touchscreen? Like in most of our other comparison articles, it's a seesaw battle between different properties of the display. The Yoga 900 is dimmer and with the lowest contrast, but has the highest native resolution and the more accurate colors. Meanwhile, the Inspiron 13 is the brightest with double the contrast, but has the least accurate colors and "only" a resolution of 1080p. The Spectre sits in the middle in terms of resolution, brightness, and color accuracy.

We cannot objectively pick out a winner in this category as it will depend on what attributes the user may find most important. Outdoor users may find the brighter Inspiron 15 easier on the eyes while others may prefer the extremely sharp and accurate panel on the Yoga 900. All displays are otherwise crisp and excellent for general day-to-day use.

Winner: Tie

Lenovo Yoga 900
Lenovo Yoga 900
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Dell Inspiron 13 7348
Dell Inspiron 13 7348
Displays at a Glance

Lenovo Yoga 900 HP Spectre x360 13 Dell Inspiron 13 7348
Size 13.3-inch IPS 13.3-inch IPS 13.3-inch IPS
Native Resolution 3200 x 1800 2560 x 1440 1920 x 1080
Pixel Density 276 PPI 219 PPI 166 PPI
Panel ID Samsung SDC454A LG Philips LGD0000 Samsung SDC4C48
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MKHP Spectre x360 13-4104ngDell Inspiron 13-7348
Display
Display P3 Coverage
63.2
66.8
65.2
sRGB Coverage
88.7
92.8
93.5
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
64.9
67.3
67.1
Response Times
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
38.8 ?(18.4, 20.4)
24 ?(11, 36)
Response Time Black / White *
22.4 ?(9.2, 13.2)
19 ?(10, 28)
PWM Frequency
1316
Screen
Brightness middle
319.8
324
375
Brightness
302
324
351
Brightness Distribution
88
90
89
Black Level *
0.835
0.34
0.44
Contrast
383
953
852
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.68
4.36
7.37
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.35
4.62
9.54
Gamma
2.09 105%
2.18 101%
2.69 82%
CCT
6975 93%
6857 95%
6685 97%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
57
60
61
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
88
93
Total Average (Program / Settings)

* ... smaller is better

Lenovo Yoga 900
Lenovo Yoga 900
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Dell Inspiron 13 7348
Dell Inspiron 13 7348

Performance

CPU Performance

Lenovo, HP, and Dell all offer multiple CPU options beyond what we have here, so this comparison is only between the configurations on hand.

The three different ULV processors from the two different Intel generations provide essentially equal computing power according to CineBench results. The easily throttled Yoga 900, however, shows it performing much slower than it ought to be in some tests. Users who are constantly running demanding CPU applications may want to avoid the Lenovo for this reason.

Perhaps a more interesting note is that the Dell is the only system with single-channel memory and removable SODIMM RAM. Its fewer integrated components and easier maintenance are likely contributing factors to its heavier weight and thicker size.

See our dedicated CPU pages on the Core i7-6500U, i5-6200U, and i7-5500U for more benchmarks and comparisons.

Hardware at a Glance

Lenovo Yoga 900 HP Spectre x360 13 Dell Inspiron 13 7348
CPU 2.5 GHz Core i7-6500U 2.3 GHz Core i5-6200U 2.4 GHz Core i7-5500U
TDP 15 W 15 W 15 W
RAM 16 GB DDR3 1066 MHz, Dual-channel, Soldered 8 GB LPDDR3, Dual-channel, Soldered 8 GB DDR3, Single-channel, 1x SODIMM slot
GPU Intel HD Graphics 520 Intel HD Graphics 520 Intel HD Graphics 4400
Lenovo Yoga 900
Lenovo Yoga 900
HP Spectre x360 13 (Source: PCWorld)
HP Spectre x360 13 (Source: PCWorld)
Dell Inspiron 13 7347
Dell Inspiron 13 7347
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
87 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
113 Points
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
118 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
287 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
284 Points
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
287 Points
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
1.45 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
1.3 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
3.23 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
2.7 Points
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
6362 Points
Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
13402 Points
wPrime 2.10
1024m (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
518 s *
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
529 s *
32m (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
15.17 s *
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
17 s *
Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - 32M (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
690 s *
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
752 s *
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
42588 Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
35351 Points
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Physics (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
3034 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
3101 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
3101 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Physics (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
4588 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
4361 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
4361 Points
Fire Strike Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
4290 Points
PCMark 7
Score (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
5478 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
4939 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
4939 Points
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
4678 Points
Lightweight (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
3616 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
3065 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
3065 Points
Productivity (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
2782 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
2316 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
2316 Points
Entertainment (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
3836 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
3597 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
3597 Points
Creativity (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
10119 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
9163 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
9163 Points
Computation (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
16743 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
15323 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
15323 Points
System Storage (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
5534 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
5150 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
5150 Points
PCMark 8
Storage Score (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
4973 Points
Work Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
3863 Points
Creative Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
3709 Points
Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
2837 Points
X264 HD Benchmark 4.0
Pass 1 (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
103.1 fps
Pass 2 (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
19.02 fps

* ... smaller is better

GPU Performance

The system with the faster processor on paper comes out ahead in GPU performance. The move from Broadwell to Skylake is more about gains in GPU power rather than CPU power, so it makes sense that we see larger differences in GPU performance than CPU performance between our two Skylake systems and our Broadwell system.

See our dedicated GPU pages on the Intel HD Graphics 520 and HD Graphics 4400 for more benchmarks and comparisons.

Cinebench R15 - OpenGL 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
35.73 fps
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
32.96 fps
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
23.65 fps

Stress Test

To test system stability, we run both Prime95 and FurMark to simulate maximum stress. These unrealistic conditions do not represent daily workloads, but are instead meant to put both the CPU and GPU at 100 percent capacity.

All three notebooks throttle their CPUs quite heavily when under both Prime95 and FurMark stress. In contrast, the GPU throttles much less significantly, so integrated graphics performance appears to have priority over the CPU if the system is under extreme demands. Unfortunately, our reviewer for the HP Spectre x360 did not provide the stable GPU clock rate under stressful conditions, but it is likely to be similar to the Yoga 900 due to their underlying ULV Skylake architecture.

Though it's a very close call between the three notebooks, the Inspiron takes the crown because of its smaller performance delta between its base CPU clock rate and stable clock rate. Core temperature is set to never go above 70 C while the ceiling is slightly less conservative on the HP at 75 C.

Winner: Dell Inspiron 13 7348

Lenovo Yoga 900
Lenovo Yoga 900
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Dell Inspiron 13 7348
Dell Inspiron 13 7348
CPU and GPU Clock Rates Under Stress

Lenovo Yoga 900 HP Spectre x360 Dell Inspiron 13 7348
Rated GPU Core Clock (MHz) 400 1000 947
Stable GPU Core Clock on FurMark (MHz) 850 -- 800 - 900
Rated CPU Core Clock (GHz) 2.5 2.3 2.4
Stable CPU Core Clock on Prime95 (GHz) 1.4 1.3 1.8
Maximum CPU temperature 70 C 75 C 70 C
Lenovo Yoga 900
Lenovo Yoga 900
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Dell Inspiron 13 7348
Dell Inspiron 13 7348

Emissions

System Noise & Temperature

When idling, all systems are nearly inaudible at 30 dB(A) or lower. The HP and Dell, however, have more sensitive fans that will pick up in speed in response to light or medium loads. Thus, the fan noise on both of these systems tend to pulsate more frequently than on the Lenovo.

The Dell is the loudest when under maximum processing loads. While the Lenovo and HP have similar maximum values, we prefer the Lenovo for its steadier noise levels when browsing or surfing the web.

Average surface temperatures on all notebooks are about the same after accounting for the ambient temperatures during the measurements. The Lenovo is slightly warmer when idling due in part to its thinner design. Both the Lenovo and Dell are able to keep their keyboards much cooler than the HP when under high processing loads. The more symmetric cooling solution in the Lenovo helps to create a more even temperature profile as well.

Winner: Lenovo Yoga 900

Average Fan Noise and Surface Temperature

Lenovo Yoga 900 HP Spectre x360 13 Dell Inspiron 13 7348
Fan Noise when idling 30.0 dB(A) 29.6 - 34.6 dB(A) 29.6 dB(A)
Fan Noise under high loads 32.0 - 38.5 dB(A) 34.7 - 37.9 dB(A) 35.4 - 41.4 dB(A)
Average surface temperature when idling 23.4 C 24.4 C 24.6 C
Average surface temperature under high loads 28.9 C 32.0 C 30.2 C
Ambient temperature 18.0 C 22.0 C 22.0 C

Battery Life

Ein direkter Vergleich der WLAN-Laufzeiten ist schwierig, da unser neuer WLAN-Test v1.3 deutlich anspruchsvoller ist als der alte WLAN-Test v1.0, der noch beim Inspiron 13 zum Einsatz kam. 

A direct comparison between WLAN runtimes is difficult since our newer WiFi v1.3 test is much more demanding than our older WiFi v1.0 test performed on our Inspiron 13. Even with this in mind, the Dell has the shortest battery life out of the three. Perhaps coincidentally, it also carries the lowest capacity battery at just 43 Wh. The Li-Ion battery packs are all non-removeable and hidden underneath their respective maintenance panels.

The HP convertible comes out ahead by about an hour and a half longer than the Lenovo and likely even more when compared to the Dell.

Winner: HP Spectre x360 13

Lenovo Yoga 900-13ISK 80MK
66 Wh
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
56 Wh
Dell Inspiron 13-7348
43 Wh
Battery Runtime
Reader / Idle
844
522
WiFi v1.3
403
500
Load
128
97
WiFi
394

Verdict

Convertibles are all about the tablet form factor. The smaller dimensions, lighter weight, and rubber grip of the Yoga 900 make it the best 13-inch convertible for the job at the cost of some features.
Convertibles are all about the tablet form factor. The smaller dimensions, lighter weight, and rubber grip of the Yoga 900 make it the best 13-inch convertible for the job at the cost of some features.

Handling, size, and weight are more vital factors for a convertible than on a standard notebook. If based on these qualities alone, then the Yoga 900 is the overall better choice. Users will have to live with the dimmer display, softer keyboard, and throttling CPU and sacrifice key connectivity features like HDMI and Mini DisplayPort. In turn, this latest Lenovo is the most comfortable convertible to use as a tablet and is recommended for users who are certain that they will its tablet features frequently.

The Spectre x360 and Inspiron 13 have key advantages over the Yoga 900 in areas outside of handling or size. Whether or not these are enough to consider over the Yoga 900, however, will ultimately depend on user preferences. The Dell is much too heavy to use in tablet mode for extended periods despite the brighter display. The HP lies in between the Lenovo and Dell and we find it to be the better middle-ground solution for users who will only occasionally or infrequently use tablet mode when appropriate.

Lenovo Yoga 900HP Spectre x360 13Dell Inspiron 13 7348

+ Lower fan noise

+ Thinner and lighter

+ Rubberized surfaces for better grip

+ Dedicated rotation lock button

+ Very high display resolution

+ More accurate colors and grayscale

+ USB 3.1 Type-C

+ More accurate and comfortable touchpad

+ Longer battery life

+ Stronger aluminum alloy unibody construction

+ Higher display contrast

+ HDMI and Mini DisplayPort

+ Firmer keyboard feedback

+ Stylus support (7348 only)

+ Brighter display backlight

+ Accessible internals

+ Inexpensive 2.5-inch HDD/SSD replacement

+ RAM not soldered (Available SODIMM slot)

- Dimmer display backlight

- Lower display contrast

- More susceptible to CPU throttling

- No HDMI

- Slow charging

- Shorter keyboard travel and weaker feedback

- No rubber grip for tablet mode

- Slightly weaker hinges

- More inaccessible internals

- Thicker and heavier

- Less accurate colors and grayscale

- Shorter battery life; Smaller battery capacity

- Fans pulsate more frequently

- Shorter keyboard travel and weaker feedback

Lenovo Yoga 900

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HP Spectre x360 13

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Dell Inspiron 13 7347

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Face Off: Lenovo Yoga 900 vs. HP Spectre x360 13 vs. Dell Inspiron 13 7348
Allen Ngo, 2015-12-23 (Update: 2020-06- 8)