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HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx Convertible Review: Powered by Intel Ice Lake

007 Spectre. The latest HP Spectre is definitely smaller, faster, and more portable than ever before, but the unsteady CPU performance and noticeable ghosting will leave some casual gamers disappointed.

The late 2019 HP Spectre x360 13 Ice Lake model directly replaces the early 2019 HP Spectre x360 13 Whiskey Lake-U models with new processor options and a new smaller chassis. Users can now choose between the Core i5-1035G4 or i7-1065G7 CPU, FHD IPS or 4K UHD AMOLED touchscreen, 8 GB to 16 GB of soldered RAM, and up to 2 TB of PCIe NVMe storage with prices ranging from $1000 to $1900 USD. Our unit today comes equipped with the Core i7 CPU and FHD display to represent the middle SKU. For this review, we'll be exploring the differences between this laptop and the older Whiskey Lake-U Spectre x360 13 as well as other Ice Lake laptops already in market.

The Spectre x360 13 competes directly with other flagship subnotebooks or Ultrabooks including the Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1, Lenovo Yoga C940-14, Asus ZenBook Flip, Huawei MateBook X Pro, Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13.5, and Razer Blade Stealth. Users who find the Spectre series too pricey can go one step down to HP's mid-range Envy series instead.

More HP reviews:

HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx (Spectre x360 13 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-1065G7 4 x 1.3 - 3.9 GHz, Ice Lake-U
Graphics adapter
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), Core: 300 MHz, Memory: 1800 MHz, DDR4, 26.20.100.7463
Memory
8 GB 
, 1866.7 MHz, 20-20-20-45, Dual-Channel
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 166 PPI, 10-point capacitive, native pen support, AU Optronics AUO5E2D, IPS
Mainboard
Intel 495 (Ice Lake-U PCH-LP Premium)
Soundcard
Intel Ice Lake-U/Y PCH-LP cAVS
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20Gbps, 2 Thunderbolt, 2 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo, Card Reader: MicroSD reader, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Sensors: Accelerometer
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 16.9 x 306 x 194.5 ( = 0.67 x 12.05 x 7.66 in)
Battery
60 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 4-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p HD IR
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Bang & Olufsen stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Bang & Olufsen Audio Control, HP Command Center, HP Smart, HP Pen Control, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.242 kg ( = 43.81 oz / 2.74 pounds), Power Supply: 280 g ( = 9.88 oz / 0.62 pounds)
Price
1300 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
88.4 %
12/2019
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
1.2 kg16.9 mm13.30"1920x1080
86.3 %
10/2019
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
1.3 kg13 mm13.40"1920x1200
81.2 %
09/2019
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
R7 3700U, Vega 10
1.6 kg18.9 mm14.00"1920x1080
86.3 %
10/2019
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
1.4 kg15.3 mm13.30"1920x1080
87 %
12/2019
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL 81Q9
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
1.4 kg15.7 mm14.00"3840x2160

Case

HP has carefully reduced the size of the bezels without impacting the overall quality of the chassis. This means that the latest Spectre x360 13 feels just like last year's model while being noticeably more portable at the same time. Both the lid and base remain rigid with only minimal twisting and almost no creaking as any flagship Ultrabook should be. 

The most notable gen-to-gen visual change is the reduction in length from 217.9 mm to 194.5 mm. Even so, the newer model is actually slightly thicker this time around at 16.9 mm compared to 14.7 mm on last year's model to be one of the thicker 13.3-inch flagship subnotebooks. Overall volume is still smaller than the outgoing Spectre x360 13 and with a slightly lighter weight as well.

If we are to have one complaint, we think the hinges could be stiffer to give a better sense of longevity.

Same metal chassis materials as last year's model with the familiar Silver or Ash Gold color options
Same metal chassis materials as last year's model with the familiar Silver or Ash Gold color options
Signature diamond-cut rear corners add style while reducing weight
Signature diamond-cut rear corners add style while reducing weight
Bottom and top bezels are now thinner for a smaller footprint
Bottom and top bezels are now thinner for a smaller footprint
360-degree hinges remain unchanged from last year's model
360-degree hinges remain unchanged from last year's model
One of the few flagship subnotebooks remaining with a full-size USB Type-A port
One of the few flagship subnotebooks remaining with a full-size USB Type-A port
Bright and smooth matte surface hide fingerprints better than on the XPS 13 or Yoga C940
Bright and smooth matte surface hide fingerprints better than on the XPS 13 or Yoga C940
322 mm / 12.7 inch 215 mm / 8.46 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 1.6 kg3.53 lbs320.3 mm / 12.6 inch 215.6 mm / 8.49 inch 15.7 mm / 0.618 inch 1.4 kg2.98 lbs308.8 mm / 12.2 inch 217.9 mm / 8.58 inch 14.7 mm / 0.579 inch 1.3 kg2.9 lbs306 mm / 12 inch 194.5 mm / 7.66 inch 16.9 mm / 0.665 inch 1.2 kg2.74 lbs304.6 mm / 12 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 15.3 mm / 0.602 inch 1.4 kg2.98 lbs296 mm / 11.7 inch 207 mm / 8.15 inch 13 mm / 0.512 inch 1.3 kg2.93 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Port options remain identical to last year's model albeit with the 3.5 mm headphone jack now on the left edge instead of the right. The USB Type-A port is also slightly different because of the change in chassis thickness. The lack of any HDMI ports means owners will have to rely on adapters, DisplayPort over USB Type-C, or Thunderbolt 3 for connecting external monitors.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: Webcam Kill Switch, MicroSD reader, 2x USB Type-C + Thunderbolt 3
Right: Webcam Kill Switch, MicroSD reader, 2x USB Type-C + Thunderbolt 3
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Left: Power button, 3.5 mm combo audio, USB 3.1 Gen. 1 Type-A
Left: Power button, 3.5 mm combo audio, USB 3.1 Gen. 1 Type-A

SD Card Reader

We can appreciate HP keeping the spring-loaded SD card reader even if it's MicroSD only. The competing Lenovo Yoga C940, for example, integrates no SD reader at all. Transferring 1 GB worth of images from our UHS-II card to desktop takes just under 7 seconds much like on the XPS 13.

Fully inserted MicroSD card
Fully inserted MicroSD card
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
162 MB/s +4%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
155.2 MB/s
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
144.6 MB/s -7%
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
32.2 MB/s -79%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
198 MB/s +7%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
187.5 MB/s +1%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
185.7 MB/s
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
34.1 MB/s -82%

Communication

The Intel AX201 comes standard for Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) connectivity and Bluetooth 5; any less and this laptop wouldn't be compliant with Intel Athena. The AX201 is functionally identical to the AX200 save for some minor chipset differences. We experienced no connectivity issues during our time with the test unit.

Though our specific test unit doesn't support it, HP offers SKUs with WWAN and Micro-SIM options unlike on the competing XPS, Yoga, Aspire, or ZenBook lineups.

Non-upgradeable Wi-Fi 6 module
Non-upgradeable Wi-Fi 6 module
Empty WWAN slot since our SKU does not support the feature
Empty WWAN slot since our SKU does not support the feature
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1374 (720min - 1484max) MBit/s
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
681 MBit/s
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
556 (475min - 639max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1291 (1212min - 1379max) MBit/s
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
647 MBit/s
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
434 (322min - 511max) MBit/s

Maintenance

Servicing the system can be tricky at first because the bottom panel is secured by two T5 Torx screws and four more hidden Philips screws underneath the rear rubber footing. After popping off the bottom panel with a sharp edge, there's not much to upgrade save for the M.2 2280 SSD protected under an aluminum plate.

Not much to upgrade as is common on most convertibles
Not much to upgrade as is common on most convertibles

Accessories and Warranty

HP includes a faux leather carrying sleeve, two AAAA batteries, and an active stylus pen (model 905512-001) in the box. The pen is thicker and thus easier to grip than the pen for the Lenovo Yoga C940, but it requires a battery to use.

The standard one-year limited warranty applies with options to extend up to 3 years.

Input Devices

Keyboard

Key feedback and layout remain identical to the outgoing Spectre x360 13 despite the overall reduction in chassis size. We find the typing experience to be crisper and firmer than on the XPS 13, ZenBook 13, or Lenovo Yoga C940 and one of our favorite Ultrabooks for composing long drafts or emails. You'll have to get used to the cramped Arrow keys, however.

Touchpad

The clickpad is smaller this time around at ~11.1 x 5.6 cm compared to ~12.1 x 6.1 cm on the older Whiskey Lake-U model likely due to the smaller chassis size. Though cursor control is smooth at all speeds and free of jitters, vertical movement can feel cramped on the wide surface area. To be fair, this is more of a general limitation of subnotebooks than a fault of the manufacturer.

The integrated mouse keys offer shallow travel with clicky feedback and moderate clatter. The main problem is that clicking takes quite a bit of force from the finger which can feel tiring after a while.

The gray font doesn't contrast very well against the silver key caps and palm rests
The gray font doesn't contrast very well against the silver key caps and palm rests
Smooth clickpad offers spacious horizontal movement but tight vertical movement
Smooth clickpad offers spacious horizontal movement but tight vertical movement
Two levels of white backlight available. Key feedback is one of the best on any Ultrabook in terms of feedback
Two levels of white backlight available. Key feedback is one of the best on any Ultrabook in terms of feedback
Small Arrow keys are difficult to use and spongy in feedback
Small Arrow keys are difficult to use and spongy in feedback

Display

HP doesn't explicitly state it, but the display on the latest Spectre is one of the biggest changes from last year's model. The AU Optronics panel here differs significantly from the JinSheng M133NVF3 panel on the Whiskey Lake-U Spectre x360 13 in terms of brightness, contrast, and response times as shown by our table below. Pulse-width modulation in particular is no longer present to imply that HP is utilizing a different backlight this time around which coincides with the overall brighter display. The dim display on last year's model was one of our main criticisms and so it's good to see it addressed here on this Ice Lake SKU.

Unfortunately, response times are now slower meaning ghosting is more noticeable. The difference can be jarring especially when compared to the latest 144 Hz or 240 Hz gaming panels where response times can be as fast as 3 ms. Interestingly, HWiNFO is unable to pull the panel name even though it is able to detect the AU Optronics AUO5E2D controller. The latest Dell XPS 13 utilizes a similar AUO5B2D controller with almost equally slow black-white and gray-gray response times.

The end result is a touchscreen that's just as crisp as before but with deeper black levels and a brighter backlight at the cost of more ghosting.

A 4K UHD AMOLED option is also available in addition to our base FHD IPS SKU
A 4K UHD AMOLED option is also available in addition to our base FHD IPS SKU
Top bezel is now much slimmer than last year's model due to the smaller webcam module
Top bezel is now much slimmer than last year's model due to the smaller webcam module
Connected USB Type-C devices will protrude diagonally from the laptop which can take some getting used to
Connected USB Type-C devices will protrude diagonally from the laptop which can take some getting used to
Very narrow side bezels that rival the XPS 13
Very narrow side bezels that rival the XPS 13
Crisp RGB subpixel array with WACOM support
Crisp RGB subpixel array with WACOM support
Slight uneven backlight bleeding along the edges and corners
Slight uneven backlight bleeding along the edges and corners
380.4
cd/m²
394.5
cd/m²
404.4
cd/m²
422.8
cd/m²
447.4
cd/m²
426.2
cd/m²
427.6
cd/m²
438.1
cd/m²
435.5
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics AUO5E2D tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 447.4 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 419.7 cd/m² Minimum: 14.2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 447.4 cd/m²
Contrast: 1443:1 (Black: 0.31 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.23 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.32
ΔE Greyscale 6.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
98.9% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
64.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
71.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
98.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
69.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.11
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
AU Optronics AUO5E2D, IPS, 13.30, 1920x1080
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
M133NVF3, IPS, 13.30, 1920x1080
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Sharp LQ134N1, IPS, 13.40, 1920x1200
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Sharp LQ133M1JW41, IPS, 13.30, 1920x1080
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL 81Q9
BOE HF NV140QUM-N54, IPS, 14.00, 3840x2160
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080
Display
-9%
0%
-4%
13%
-11%
Display P3 Coverage
69.6
63
-9%
69.9
0%
66.2
-5%
83.8
20%
65.5
-6%
sRGB Coverage
98.9
89.8
-9%
99.2
0%
97.2
-2%
99.9
1%
85.2
-14%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
71.5
64.1
-10%
71.5
0%
67.1
-6%
83.3
17%
62.2
-13%
Response Times
49%
22%
18%
27%
20%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
60.8 ?(26, 34.8)
29.2 ?(14, 15.2)
52%
47.6 ?(23.2, 24.4)
22%
45.2 ?(22.4, 22.8)
26%
44.4 ?(22.4, 22)
27%
42 ?(20, 22)
31%
Response Time Black / White *
36.8 ?(15.6, 21.2)
20 ?(10.8, 9.2)
46%
29.2 ?(16, 13.2)
21%
33.2 ?(17.6, 15.6)
10%
27.2 ?(15.6, 11.6)
26%
34 ?(18, 16)
8%
PWM Frequency
1000 ?(99)
2500 ?(25)
22730 ?(24)
Screen
-20%
17%
19%
-8%
-29%
Brightness middle
447.4
272
-39%
549.8
23%
422.6
-6%
501.7
12%
306
-32%
Brightness
420
298
-29%
520
24%
404
-4%
501
19%
294
-30%
Brightness Distribution
85
84
-1%
86
1%
87
2%
82
-4%
81
-5%
Black Level *
0.31
0.39
-26%
0.39
-26%
0.35
-13%
0.32
-3%
0.39
-26%
Contrast
1443
697
-52%
1410
-2%
1207
-16%
1568
9%
785
-46%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.23
4.3
-2%
2.12
50%
1.02
76%
5.48
-30%
5.16
-22%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.34
9
4%
3.66
61%
3.06
67%
10.03
-7%
9.9
-6%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.32
2.4
-82%
1.37
-4%
0.95
28%
2.22
-68%
3.07
-133%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.1
4.4
28%
2.6
57%
1
84%
8.1
-33%
5.86
4%
Gamma
2.11 104%
1.97 112%
2.3 96%
2.21 100%
2.07 106%
2.31 95%
CCT
6136 106%
5825 112%
6884 94%
6502 100%
6730 97%
6349 102%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
64.8
58.9
-9%
65.4
1%
62.1
-4%
74.1
14%
56
-14%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
98.9
89.8
-9%
99.7
1%
97.1
-2%
100
1%
85
-14%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
7% / -9%
13% / 14%
11% / 15%
11% / 0%
-7% / -20%

* ... smaller is better

Color space covers approximately 99 percent of sRGB and 65 percent of AdobeRGB to be in line with most other flagship Ultrabooks and even gaming laptops. The 4K UHD AMOLED SKU of this same laptop will likely have a wider color gamut than our 1080p IPS SKU.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

The display is not very well calibrated out of the box. Color temperature is slightly too warm with average DeltaE grayscale and color values of 6.1 and 3.46, respectively. After calibrating the panel ourselves against the sRGB standard, color accuracy improves significantly. We recommend applying our ICM profile above or calibrating the display yourself to get the most out of the display.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
36.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 15.6 ms rise
↘ 21.2 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 94 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
60.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 26 ms rise
↘ 34.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 96 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Outdoor visibility is better than on last year's model since the display is now almost 65 percent brighter. Be sure to disable the Display Power Saving Technology feature via the Intel Graphics Control Panel software or else maximum brightness will dip to 373 nits from 447 nits when on battery power. For even better outdoor visibility with less glare, we recommend the HP EliteBook x360 1040 as it offers 1000-nit display options.

Viewing angles are excellent with slight contrast changes if viewing from extreme angles as expected.

Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

There are no Core i3 SKUs since HP is positioning its Spectre series as high-end consumer machines. Expect more Ultrabooks to carry the same Core i5-1035G4 and Core i7-1065G7 CPUs with Iris Plus graphics in 2020. If you want discrete graphics options, then you'll have to look at the larger Spectre x360 15 series instead.

RAM is soldered much like on the competing XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 and Lenovo Yoga C940. LatencyMon shows DPC latency issues even when the wireless is disabled.

 

Processor

CPU performance is a mixed bag in relation to other Core i7-1065G7 laptops already available. While its CineBench multi-core scores are within 2 to 7 percent of the average, running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop reveals the poor performance sustainability and cycling behavior of the Spectre. As shown by our graph below, its initial score of 640 points can drop to 530 points over time to represent a performance dip of 17 percent. Furthermore, scores will cycle between 520 and 560 points due to the cycling clock rates of the HP whereas other Ice Lake laptops remain more stable.

Expect a performance dip of about 15 percent if opting for the lesser Core i5-1035G5 SKU.

Overall CPU performance is still an improvement over the Core i7-8565U on last year's Spectre despite the subpar implementation of Ice Lake. 

CineBench R15
CineBench R15
CineBench R20
CineBench R20
04590135180225270315360405450495540585630675720765810Tooltip
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H); CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø550 (504.6-640.68)
Razer Blade Stealth 13, Core i7-1065G7 GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-1065G7, Lite-On CA3-8D512; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø483 (464-551)
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7 Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ512G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø672 (632.81-836.68)
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL 81Q9 Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø627 (606.12-749.06)
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø468 (452.06-534.18)
Cinebench R20
CPU (Multi Core)
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
2643 Points +60%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
2024 Points +22%
Dell G3 3590
Intel Core i5-9300H
1864 Points +13%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7
1655 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (1081 - 2024, n=31)
1510 Points -9%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
1499 Points -9%
Dell Latitude 7400-8N6DH
Intel Core i7-8665U
1453 Points -12%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
1392 Points -16%
Asus VivoBook 14 X403FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
1350 Points -18%
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
1138 Points -31%
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
Intel Core i7-8565U
1021 Points -38%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
948 Points -43%
CPU (Single Core)
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
465 Points +23%
Dell Latitude 7400-8N6DH
Intel Core i7-8665U
445 Points +18%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (358 - 474, n=31)
438 Points +16%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
434 Points +15%
Dell G3 3590
Intel Core i5-9300H
422 Points +12%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
403 Points +7%
Asus VivoBook 14 X403FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
399 Points +6%
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
383 Points +2%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
381 Points +1%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7
377 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
Intel Core i7-8565U
357 Points -5%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
334 Points -11%
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
184 Points +3%
Dell Latitude 7400-8N6DH
Intel Core i7-8665U
181 Points +2%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7
178 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (141 - 190, n=35)
174.2 Points -2%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
174 Points -2%
Dell G3 3590
Intel Core i5-9300H
172 Points -3%
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
Intel Core i7-8565U
164 Points -8%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
157 Points -12%
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
156 Points -12%
Asus VivoBook 14 X403FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
152 Points -15%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
148 Points -17%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
135 Points -24%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
1231 Points +91%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
830 Points +29%
Dell G3 3590
Intel Core i5-9300H
790 Points +23%
Dell Latitude 7400-8N6DH
Intel Core i7-8665U
674 Points +5%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
672 Points +5%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
670 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7
  (288 - 836, n=36)
648 Points +1%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7
643 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 X403FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
622 Points -3%
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
Intel Core i7-8565U
538 Points -16%
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
494 Points -23%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
406 Points -37%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
178 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
643 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
68 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

PCMark scores are within just a few percentage points of the average Core i7-1065G7 laptop albeit still consistently behind the XPS 13 7390 2-in-1. Even so, the system is an improvement over the older Whiskey Lake-U-powered model that it's meant to replace.

PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10
Score
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
5009 Points +11%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ512G
4677 Points +3%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
4522 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (3878 - 4679, n=20)
4356 Points -4%
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
4009 Points -11%
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
Vega 10, R7 3700U
3647 Points -19%
Essentials
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ512G
9678 Points 0%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
9664 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (8302 - 9902, n=20)
9123 Points -6%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
9048 Points -6%
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
8454 Points -13%
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
Vega 10, R7 3700U
7003 Points -28%
Productivity
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ512G
7179 Points +2%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
7051 Points
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
6832 Points -3%
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
6774 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (5462 - 7379, n=20)
6555 Points -7%
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
Vega 10, R7 3700U
5611 Points -20%
Digital Content Creation
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
5520 Points +50%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ512G
3998 Points +9%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (3260 - 4424, n=20)
3773 Points +2%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
3684 Points
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
Vega 10, R7 3700U
3352 Points -9%
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
3055 Points -17%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
4166 Points +7%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ512G
3982 Points +2%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
3911 Points
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
Vega 10, R7 3700U
3766 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (3305 - 4275, n=17)
3734 Points -5%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
3546 Points -9%
Work Score Accelerated v2
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
5227 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
5189 Points -1%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ512G
5086 Points -3%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4483 Points -14%
Average Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (2460 - 5291, n=17)
4309 Points -18%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3911 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5227 points
PCMark 10 Score
4522 points
Help

Storage Devices

Unsurprisingly, only one internal storage bay is available. The 512 GB HP HBRPEKNX0202AH M.2 PCIe SSD integrates 32 GB of Intel Optane H10 memory with mixed results. Sequential read and write rates according to AS SSD, for example, average only about 1000 MB/s and 300 MB/s, respectively, compared to 1800 MB/s and 1100 MB/s on the Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ512G as found on the XPS 13 7390 2-in-1. The price premium for Optane technology has yet to become competitive against traditional NVMe SSDs.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CDM 5.5
CDM 5.5
Removable M.2 SSD behind the aluminum cover
Removable M.2 SSD behind the aluminum cover
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ512G
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
 
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL 81Q9
Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
AS SSD
27%
28%
-25%
21%
115%
Seq Read
1039
2197
111%
1801
73%
424.5
-59%
1989
91%
2213
113%
Seq Write
310.1
493
59%
1125
263%
374.5
21%
827
167%
1401
352%
4K Read
76
31.4
-59%
39.7
-48%
19.38
-74%
40.12
-47%
55.2
-27%
4K Write
118
123.9
5%
67
-43%
34.69
-71%
135.1
14%
130.3
10%
4K-64 Read
371.8
674
81%
1253
237%
430.2
16%
531
43%
878
136%
4K-64 Write
469.5
479.3
2%
209
-55%
377.2
-20%
309.9
-34%
1478
215%
Access Time Read *
0.067
0.117
-75%
0.069
-3%
0.13
-94%
0.085
-27%
0.036
46%
Access Time Write *
0.138
0.049
64%
0.625
-353%
0.084
39%
0.09
35%
0.086
38%
Score Read
552
925
68%
1472
167%
492
-11%
770
39%
1154
109%
Score Write
618
653
6%
388
-37%
449
-27%
528
-15%
1748
183%
Score Total
1448
1971
36%
2583
78%
1194
-18%
1644
14%
3467
139%
Copy ISO MB/s
764
1293
69%
1024
34%
1418
86%
2161
183%
Copy Program MB/s
465.8
560
20%
203.6
-56%
382.7
-18%
572
23%
Copy Game MB/s
764
927
21%
552
-28%
334.2
-56%
1433
88%
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-1%
24%
-12%
43%
75%
Write 4K
112.6
105.1
-7%
106.7
-5%
142.1
26%
176.8
57%
128.6
14%
Read 4K
131
42.3
-68%
49.94
-62%
44.75
-66%
48.38
-63%
45.25
-65%
Write Seq
458.9
677
48%
1223
167%
1332
190%
1949
325%
Read Seq
1355
2092
54%
1801
33%
1644
21%
2359
74%
Write 4K Q32T1
341.3
378.8
11%
325.3
-5%
252.4
-26%
440.6
29%
445
30%
Read 4K Q32T1
320.6
271.3
-15%
551
72%
340.9
6%
559
74%
404.5
26%
Write Seq Q32T1
1219
527
-57%
1224
0%
1457
20%
1104
-9%
3019
148%
Read Seq Q32T1
2462
3175
29%
2350
-5%
1723
-30%
3481
41%
3564
45%
Write 4K Q8T8
1164
Read 4K Q8T8
1103
Total Average (Program / Settings)
13% / 15%
26% / 27%
-19% / -21%
32% / 29%
95% / 100%

* ... smaller is better

Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 2462 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1219 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 320.6 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 341.3 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1355 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 458.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 131 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 112.6 MB/s

GPU Performance

3DMark Time Spy results are 15 percent slower than the average Core i7-1065G7 in our database while Fire Strike results are within 2 percent of the average. The inconsistent scores reflect the inconsistent frame rate and stress test results in our next sections. Even so, 3DMark has been a poor indicator of real-world gaming performance for Ice Lake systems thus far.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Unlimited
Ice Storm Unlimited
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Time Spy
Time Spy
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Asus FX504GD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
38881 Points +120%
Huawei MateBook 14 KLV-W29
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i7-8565U
22615 Points +28%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
20784 Points +17%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
18881 Points +7%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
18633 Points +5%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
17712 Points
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
17440 Points -2%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (7024 - 18881, n=24)
15496 Points -13%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-10710U
9882 Points -44%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2018-20KGS5DU00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
9858 Points -44%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Asus FX504GD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
6356 Points +121%
Huawei MateBook 14 KLV-W29
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i7-8565U
3664 Points +27%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
3144 Points +9%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
2999 Points +4%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
2874 Points 0%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
2874 Points
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (1418 - 3156, n=27)
2594 Points -10%
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
2376 Points -17%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-10710U
1339 Points -53%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2018-20KGS5DU00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
1308 Points -54%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Asus FX504GD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
1597 Points +133%
Huawei MateBook 14 KLV-W29
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i7-8565U
1130 Points +65%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
862 Points +26%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
852 Points +24%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
833 Points +22%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (526 - 851, n=23)
744 Points +9%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
685 Points
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
679 Points -1%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-10710U
425 Points -38%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2018-20KGS5DU00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
392 Points -43%
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Asus FX504GD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
7133 Points +58%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
4594 Points +2%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
4512 Points
Huawei MateBook 14 KLV-W29
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i7-8565U
4459 Points -1%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
4165 Points -8%
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
4045 Points -10%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (2112 - 4630, n=28)
3996 Points -11%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
3560 Points -21%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-10710U
1940 Points -57%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Asus FX504GD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
7025 Points +86%
Huawei MateBook 14 KLV-W29
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i7-8565U
4552 Points +21%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
4143 Points +10%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
3767 Points
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
3707 Points -2%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
3247 Points -14%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (1319 - 4163, n=28)
3189 Points -15%
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
2780 Points -26%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-10710U
2078 Points -45%
3DMark 11 Performance
4777 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
70068 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
13766 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
2673 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
771 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Average frame rates are 20 to 30 percent slower than the average Core i7-1065G7 in our database due to the clock rate cycling behavior of the CPU and GPU that we will detail in the next few sections. In short, frame rates fluctuate far more than usual for an inconsistent level of gaming performance. Rocket League on high quality 1080p settings, for example, is nearly 25 percent slower than the RX Vega 10 in the Dell Latitude 5585 or 37 percent slower than the Nvidia GeForce MX150.

See our page on the Iris Plus G7 for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 1280x720 Lowest Preset
Asus GL753VD
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
71 (48min) fps +238%
MSI PE60 2QD
Intel Core i7-6700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
50 (41min - 84max) fps +138%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-723L
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
46 fps +119%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
45 fps +114%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
38 fps +81%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (15.6 - 33, n=13)
26.4 fps +26%
Acer Nitro 5
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
24 fps +14%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
21 fps
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
15 fps -29%
Dell Inspiron 14 5000 5482 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
12 fps -43%
Rocket League
1280x720 Performance
Lenovo IdeaPad S540-14IWL
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
176 (41min - 235max) fps +100%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-723L
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
175.4 fps +100%
Huawei MateBook 13 i7
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
156 fps +77%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
119.7 fps +36%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (22.1 - 123, n=16)
90.6 fps +3%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
87.9 fps
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
76.2 fps -13%
Dell Inspiron 14 5000 5482 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
50.6 fps -42%
1920x1080 Performance
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
94.3 fps +89%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (43.1 - 112.6, n=11)
69.3 fps +39%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
49.9 fps
1920x1080 Quality AA:Medium FX
Lenovo IdeaPad S540-14IWL
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
109 (43min - 154max) fps +148%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-723L
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
77 fps +75%
Huawei MateBook 13 i7
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
76.1 fps +73%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
59.9 fps +36%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (24.9 - 71.3, n=16)
54.1 fps +23%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
44 fps
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
36.6 fps -17%
Dell Inspiron 14 5000 5482 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
24.3 fps -45%
1920x1080 High Quality AA:High FX
Lenovo IdeaPad S540-14IWL
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
80 (35min - 113max) fps +169%
MSI PE60 2QD
Intel Core i7-6700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
68.4 (52min - 95max) fps +130%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-723L
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
52.1 fps +75%
Huawei MateBook 13 i7
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
47.4 fps +60%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
38.9 fps +31%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (21.1 - 48.5, n=15)
37.9 fps +28%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
29.7 fps
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
23 fps -23%
Dell Inspiron 14 5000 5482 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
15.7 fps -47%
The Witcher 3
1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Huawei MateBook 13 i7
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
70.5 fps +61%
MSI PE60 2QD
Intel Core i7-6700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
67 fps +53%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-723L
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
63.5 fps +45%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
58.8 fps +34%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
53.8 fps +23%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (28.2 - 58, n=20)
47.8 fps +9%
Lenovo IdeaPad S540-14IWL
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
47.4 fps +8%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
43.9 fps
Acer Nitro 5
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
29.7 fps -32%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
19.7 fps -55%
1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing
MSI PE60 2QD
Intel Core i7-6700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
40.7 (33min - 47max) fps +41%
Huawei MateBook 13 i7
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
39.7 fps +37%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-723L
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
37.9 fps +31%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
35.2 fps +22%
Lenovo IdeaPad S540-14IWL
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
34.5 fps +19%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (20.8 - 36.8, n=18)
32.1 fps +11%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
28.9 fps
Acer Nitro 5
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
21.2 fps -27%
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
MSI PE60 2QD
Intel Core i7-6700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
22.3 (19min - 25max) fps +62%
Huawei MateBook 13 i7
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
22.1 fps +60%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-723L
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
20.4 fps +48%
Lenovo IdeaPad S540-14IWL
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
19.8 fps +43%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
19.3 fps +40%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
18.8 fps +36%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (10.9 - 20.1, n=18)
17 fps +23%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
13.8 fps
Acer Nitro 5
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
9.8 fps -29%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Lenovo IdeaPad S540-14IWL
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
12 fps +67%
Huawei MateBook 13 i7
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
11.9 fps +65%
MSI PE60 2QD
Intel Core i7-6700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
11.6 (7min - 15max) fps +61%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
11.5 fps +60%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-723L
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
11.4 fps +58%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-52G-53PU
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
10.7 fps +49%
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
  (5.13 - 10, n=13)
8.36 fps +16%
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
7.2 fps
Acer Nitro 5
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
6.6 fps -8%

Idling on Witcher 3 confirms our suspicion of unsteady frame rates and noticeable tearing. When on the lowest graphical settings, frame rates would cycle between 19 FPS and 41 FPS instead of remaining steady throughout. This undesirable behavior has not been observed on any other Core i7 Ice Lake laptop thus far including the Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1, Razer Blade Stealth, Lenovo Yoga C940, or Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15.

0510152025303540Tooltip
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H): Ø35.1 (24-41)
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 89.4 47.9 47.3 17.3
The Witcher 3 (2015) 43.9 28.9 13.8 7.2
Rocket League (2017) 87.9 44 29.7
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 21

Emissions

System Noise

The cooling solution consists of twin 35 mm or 40 mm fans with two heat pipes between them. Fan noise, however, is essentially non-existent when browsing or video streaming. In fact, the fans remain idle even when running the first benchmark scene of 3DMark 06 on the High Performance setting.

Running Witcher 3 induces a cycling fan noise between 31.9 dB(A) and 35.3 dB(A) whereas most other laptops will stabilize at a specific RPM. The Lenovo Yoga C940 with the same Ice Lake CPU, for example, stabilizes at 40.7 dB(A) when running the same game. The atypical behavior on the HP backs up our stress test observations below where CPU temperatures and clock rates would cycle when under load as well.

We can notice no electronic noise or coil whine from our test unit.

Both fans are almost always silent and unnoticeable during most workloads
Both fans are almost always silent and unnoticeable during most workloads
When gaming, however, fan noise will cycle instead of maintaining a constant RPM
When gaming, however, fan noise will cycle instead of maintaining a constant RPM
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ512G
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
Vega 10, R7 3700U
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL 81Q9
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
Noise
-2%
-8%
-8%
-7%
-6%
off / environment *
28.5
29.2
-2%
28.1
1%
30
-5%
28.3
1%
28.5
-0%
Idle Minimum *
28.5
29.2
-2%
28.1
1%
30
-5%
28.3
1%
28.5
-0%
Idle Average *
28.5
29.2
-2%
28.1
1%
30
-5%
28.3
1%
28.5
-0%
Idle Maximum *
28.5
30.4
-7%
28.1
1%
30
-5%
28.3
1%
29
-2%
Load Average *
28.5
31
-9%
31.7
-11%
34.2
-20%
33.5
-18%
33
-16%
Witcher 3 ultra *
35.3
43.4
-23%
34.5
2%
40.7
-15%
Load Maximum *
35.3
32.1
9%
43.4
-23%
37.5
-6%
49.4
-40%
39.5
-12%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
28.5 / 28.5 / 28.5 dB(A)
HDD
28.5 dB(A)
Load
28.5 / 35.3 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.5 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs204140.641.441.445.52539.336.637.337.737.7313937.536.536.838.14036.836.734.736.636.25034.334.634.635.634.16335.333.333.733.4348035.634.935.53635.710034.33534.633.73512533.332.132.532.233.116032.432.332.230.632.220031.830.830.730.131.625031.230.129.830.930.231530.230.330.130.230.240030.529.42928.730.850030.729.328.528.930.963031.528.528.228.83180029.728.228.32829.8100029.128.128.228.529.312502928.128.127.728.9160029.42827.927.629.4200028.927.927.827.528.8250029.627.627.427.529.631502927.627.527.329.1400029.427.727.527.329.5500029.227.527.427.429.4630027.927.527.527.328800027.627.627.327.327.61000027.527.527.427.327.51250027.427.327.327.327.51600027.427.327.227.227.4SPL41.340.14039.941.4N4.23.83.73.74.2median 29.4median 28.1median 28.1median 27.7median 29.5Delta1.50.50.60.71.4hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseHP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx

Temperature

Surface temperature development is symmetrical and always warmer towards the rear because of the layout of the cooling solution and CPU underneath. At worst, we're able to record a maximum temperature of 35 C on the center of the keyboard and 47 C on the rear compared to 50 C on the XPS 13 7390 2-in-1.

Dual rear exhaust
Dual rear exhaust
AC adapter after running Witcher 3 for an hour
AC adapter after running Witcher 3 for an hour
Max. Load
 30.6 °C
87 F
37.2 °C
99 F
31 °C
88 F
 
 29.2 °C
85 F
35.2 °C
95 F
27.8 °C
82 F
 
 24.2 °C
76 F
23.4 °C
74 F
24.6 °C
76 F
 
Maximum: 37.2 °C = 99 F
Average: 29.2 °C = 85 F
32.4 °C
90 F
42.2 °C
108 F
32 °C
90 F
28.8 °C
84 F
33.2 °C
92 F
29 °C
84 F
27.4 °C
81 F
28.8 °C
84 F
27.4 °C
81 F
Maximum: 42.2 °C = 108 F
Average: 31.2 °C = 88 F
Power Supply (max.)  36 °C = 97 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 29.2 °C / 85 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.2 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.2 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.5 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 24.6 °C / 76.3 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (+3.5 °C / 6.3 F).
System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)

Stress Test

The unsteady fan noise, CineBench results, and frame rates recorded above make sense once we look closer at how the HP system handles stressful loads. When running Prime95, for example, clock rates would spike to 3.5 GHz for just a few seconds before falling and stabilizing at the wide 1.6 to 2.2 GHz range. In contrast, the Yoga C940 with the same CPU stabilizes at the narrower 2.3 to 2.4 GHz range instead when running Prime95 for a more consistent level of performance. The wide clock rate and core temperature cycling behavior can be observed when running Witcher 3 as well.

Running on battery power will limit performance just slightly. A 3DMark 11 run returns Physics and Graphics scores of 8840 and 4525 points, respectively, compared to 9377 and 4630 points when on mains.

Prime95 stress (first few minutes)
Prime95 stress (first few minutes)
Prime95 stress (after 10 minutes)
Prime95 stress (after 10 minutes)
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Witcher 3 stress
Witcher 3 stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C)
System Idle -- -- 30
Prime95 Stress 1.6 - 2.2 -- 66 - 87
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 0.7 - 1.0 450 - 700 60 - 80
Witcher 3 Stress 1.1 - 2.3 750 - 900 60 - 80

Speakers

Spectre laptops have always had good audio for the size and the latest Spectre x360 13 is no different. Roll-off begins at just above 250 Hz for decent bass reproduction and the pink noise graph is broad for a more balanced audio experience. The speakers are no longer along the edges of the keyboard, however, as they have been repositioned.

Speakers are positioned towards the center of the laptop unlike on most other laptops. Thus, volume is louder when standing to the side of the Spectre instead of directly in front
Speakers are positioned towards the center of the laptop unlike on most other laptops. Thus, volume is louder when standing to the side of the Spectre instead of directly in front
Pink noise at maximum volume
Pink noise at maximum volume
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2048.141.448.12539.637.339.63137.236.537.24037.434.737.45035.434.635.46335.333.735.38036.135.536.110038.934.638.912545.832.545.816054.432.254.420055.830.755.825061.129.861.131565.830.165.840067.42967.450066.328.566.363067.928.267.980066.928.366.9100068.628.268.6125071.628.171.6160072.127.972.1200071.627.871.6250070.427.470.4315072.327.572.3400069.827.569.8500063.927.463.9630067.127.567.1800067.727.367.71000064.127.464.11250061.127.361.11600055.727.255.7SPL81.64081.6N53.53.753.5median 66.9median 28.1median 66.9Delta5.80.65.835.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dxApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 13.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.7% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 24% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 71% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 24% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 70% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Idling on desktop demands between 3 W and 7 W depending on the brightness setting and power profile to be not unlike last year's Whiskey Lake-U model. However, the more interesting findings come when running higher loads like gaming. Running 3DMark 06 or Witcher 3 draws only 33 W and 25 W on average, respectively, compared to 44 W and 42 W on other laptops powered by the same Core i7-1065G7 CPU and Iris Plus GPU. The lower-than-expected power consumption on the Spectre is in line with our lower average frame rates when gaming as recorded above.

We're able to measure a maximum draw of 59 W from the small (8.8 x 5.3 x 2.1 cm) 65 W USB Type-C AC adapter. This high of a consumption is only temporary before falling and stabilizing at around 30 W.

Prime95 initiated at 10s mark. Consumption cycles between 22 W and 29 W
Prime95 initiated at 10s mark. Consumption cycles between 22 W and 29 W
Prime95+FurMark initiated at 10s mark. Consumption spikes to 59 W for about 15 seconds before falling and cycling between 22 W and 29 W
Prime95+FurMark initiated at 10s mark. Consumption spikes to 59 W for about 15 seconds before falling and cycling between 22 W and 29 W
Unsteady power consumption when running Witcher 3 can fluctuate between 19 W and 30 W. This backs up our unsteady frame rates when running Witcher 3 as mentioned above
Unsteady power consumption when running Witcher 3 can fluctuate between 19 W and 30 W. This backs up our unsteady frame rates when running Witcher 3 as mentioned above
First benchmark scene of 3DMark 06. Consumption is highest during the first 20 seconds before stabilizing
First benchmark scene of 3DMark 06. Consumption is highest during the first 20 seconds before stabilizing
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.41 / 0.67 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.9 / 6.3 / 6.8 Watt
Load midlight 32.6 / 59 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H), IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
i7-8565U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ512G, IPS, 1920x1200, 13.40
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
R7 3700U, Vega 10, , IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL 81Q9
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR, IPS, 3840x2160, 14.00
Power Consumption
-7%
-6%
-4%
-38%
-57%
Idle Minimum *
3.9
4.32
-11%
2.6
33%
3.7
5%
5.9
-51%
5.6
-44%
Idle Average *
6.3
6.84
-9%
5.3
16%
6.9
-10%
8.1
-29%
10.5
-67%
Idle Maximum *
6.8
8.64
-27%
7
-3%
9.4
-38%
11.2
-65%
12
-76%
Load Average *
32.6
31.8
2%
43.1
-32%
34
-4%
44.3
-36%
53.3
-63%
Witcher 3 ultra *
25.6
43.1
-68%
41.9
-64%
46.9
-83%
Load Maximum *
59
53
10%
49
17%
44
25%
50.2
15%
64.6
-9%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Runtimes are slightly longer than last year's Whiskey Lake-U model despite having no major differences in battery capacity. Our real-world WLAN test results in just under 10 hours of use compared to 9 hours on the XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 or outgoing Spectre x360 13.

Charging from empty to full capacity takes about 1.5 hours. Either of the two USB Type-C ports can be used to recharge the system.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
37h 03min
WiFi Websurfing
9h 54min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 40min
HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), 60 Wh
HP Spectre x360 13-ap0312ng
i7-8565U, UHD Graphics 620, 61 Wh
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), 51 Wh
Asus ZenBook Flip 14 UM462DA-AI023T
R7 3700U, Vega 10, 42 Wh
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), 53.1 Wh
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL 81Q9
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), 60 Wh
Battery Runtime
-14%
-10%
-25%
-2%
-27%
Reader / Idle
2223
WiFi v1.3
594
531
-11%
537
-10%
448
-25%
583
-2%
436
-27%
Load
160
135
-16%

Pros

+ brighter display than last generation model
+ attractive narrow bezel design; lightweight
+ strong chassis quality and first impressions
+ quiet even when under medium loads
+ comfortable keyboard feedback
+ USB Type-A and Thunderbolt 3
+ fast MicroSD reader
+ long battery life
+ optional WWAN

Cons

- moderately slow black-white and gray-gray response times
- inconsistent frame rates when gaming
- upgrading M.2 storage can be difficult
- display could be better calibrated
- non-upgradeable RAM or WLAN
- inconsistent CPU performance
- no HDMI port

Verdict

In review: HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx. Test unit provided by HP
In review: HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx. Test unit provided by HP

If you're looking for a high-end 13-inch convertible laptop with the latest Intel 10th gen CPU, then you currently have two major options: the HP Spectre x360 13 or the Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1. The HP feels stronger in the hand with removable M.2 storage, larger battery, optional WWAN, and a full-size USB Type-A port — features that are all missing on the Dell alternative. If you value these extras the most, then you'll find more value out of the Spectre x360 13.

The HP laptop falls flat on its face when it comes to exploiting the most performance possible out of the Ice Lake processor. The fluctuating CPU clock rates, GPU clock rates, fan noise, power consumption, and frame rates when gaming are poor representations of what Intel Ice Lake is capable of. We know the Core i7-1065G7 can do better as exemplified by the XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 or Yoga C940 and their more consistent performance numbers. It's still an upgrade over the Whiskey Lake-U Spectre x360 13 especially in terms of portability and display brightness, but the performance delta between them is smaller than we were expecting.

Excellent chassis that's now even smaller than before and with more features than most other consumer convertibles. However, HP's implementation of Ice Lake is below average and definitely one to avoid if you're a casual gamer.

HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx - 12/27/2019 v7
Allen Ngo

Chassis
87 / 98 → 89%
Keyboard
89%
Pointing Device
85%
Connectivity
70 / 75 → 93%
Weight
72 / 20-75 → 95%
Battery
88%
Display
86%
Games Performance
58 / 78 → 75%
Application Performance
88 / 85 → 100%
Temperature
94%
Noise
92%
Audio
85 / 91 → 93%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Add Points
-1%
Average
74%
88%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > HP Spectre x360 13-aw0013dx Convertible Review: Powered by Intel Ice Lake
Allen Ngo, 2019-12-27 (Update: 2020-01- 3)