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Head to head

HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) vs Dell XPS 14 (2024)

Dell XPS 14 (2024) leads 3 to 1 on the 4 rankable specs. Most of the 29 attributes tracked here are descriptive rather than numeric.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

  • Panel: HP Spectre x360 16 lists 2.8K OLED Touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass (HP sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 14 lists 3.2K OLED InfinityEdge touch (or FHD+ IPS) (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).
  • Processor: HP Spectre x360 16 lists Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (HP sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 14 lists Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16 cores: 6P + 8E + 2 Low Power E, Intel AI Boost) (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).
  • Memory: HP Spectre x360 16 lists 32GB LPDDR5x (HP sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 14 lists 32 GB LPDDR5x (7467 MT/s) (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).
  • Claimed battery life: HP Spectre x360 16 lists ~10–12 hours mixed productivity (other published figure, not on maker sheet); Dell XPS 14 lists Up to 12 hours (IPS) / ~8-9 hours (OLED) (other published figure, not on maker sheet).
  • Size: HP Spectre x360 16 lists 16.0 inches (HP sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 14 lists 14.5 inches (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).

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

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Dell XPS 14 (2024)
$1,6993 spec wins
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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: 1 to 3

Buy the Dell XPS 14.

  • Leads 3 of 4 rankable overall specs; HP Spectre x360 16 takes 1.
  • Resolution: 3200 × 2000 vs 2880 × 1800
  • Weight: 3.70 lb vs 4.30 lb
  • Same list price, so the spec lead is the whole story.

Check first: the Dell XPS 14 has no HDMI port. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

1 HP Spectre x360 164 rankable of 29 specsDell XPS 14 3

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

  • row

    The memory you buy today is the memory you keep.

    Trips:HP Spectre x360 16 · No (soldered)Trips:Dell XPS 14 · No (soldered)
  • row

    Projectors and meeting-room TVs need a dongle.

    Clear:HP Spectre x360 16 · HDMI 2.1Trips:Dell XPS 14 · No (via included USB-C to HDMI adapter)
  • row

    Heavy in a backpack on a daily commute.

    Trips:HP Spectre x360 16 · 4.30 lbClear:Dell XPS 14 · 3.70 lb

At a glance

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

4 of 4 differ

Panel

HP

2.8K OLED Touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass

Dell

3.2K OLED InfinityEdge touch (or FHD+ IPS)

Processor

HP

Intel Core Ultra 7 155H

Dell

Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16 cores: 6P + 8E + 2 Low Power E, Intel AI Boost)

Memory

HP

32GB LPDDR5x

Dell

32 GB LPDDR5x (7467 MT/s)

Claimed battery life

HP

~10–12 hours mixed productivity

Dell

Up to 12 hours (IPS) / ~8-9 hours (OLED)

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

HP Spectre x360 16

Upfront list price$1,699
3-Year Estimated Total$1,699

Dell XPS 14

Upfront list price$1,699
Essential add-ons (USB-A / HDMI adapter dongle)+$30
3-Year Estimated Total$1,729

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

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

Post-Purchase Truths

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.

Dell: 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.

Display

7 differences
Display specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
Size16.0 inches (wins this row: higher)14.5 inches
Panel2.8K OLED Touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass3.2K OLED InfinityEdge touch (or FHD+ IPS)
Resolution2880 × 18003200 × 2000 (3.2K) (wins this row: higher)
Refresh rate120 Hz VRR120 Hz (variable VRR)
BrightnessNot on the official sheet400 nits SDR / 500 nits HDR400 nits OLED / 500 nits IPS
Color100% DCI-P3, Low Blue Light100% DCI-P3
TouchscreenYes (Pen & Touch enabled)Yes (on OLED configuration)

Performance

5 differences
Performance specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 155HIntel Core Ultra 7 155H (16 cores: 6P + 8E + 2 Low Power E, Intel AI Boost)
GraphicsIntel Arc Graphics + optional NVIDIA RTX 4050NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (30W TGP)
Memory32GB LPDDR5x32 GB LPDDR5x (7467 MT/s)
RAM upgradableNo (soldered)No (soldered)
Storage1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Storage upgradableYes (1× M.2 slot)Yes (1× M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 slot)

Build & input

leads 2-0
Build & input specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
Weight4.30 lb (1.95 kg)3.70 lb (1.68 kg) (wins this row: lower)
Thickness19.8 mm18.0 mm (0.71 inches) (wins this row: lower)
MaterialsSandblasted CNC AluminumCNC machined aluminum and Gorilla Glass 3
KeyboardFull-size backlit nightfall black keyboardZero-lattice backlit keyboard with capacitive touch function row
TrackpadHaptic glass trackpadSeamless glass haptic precision touchpad
WebcamHP Wide Vision 9MP IR camera with temporal noise reduction1080p FHD RGB-IR camera with Windows Hello
SpeakersQuad speakers tuned by Poly Studio with Audio BoostQuad-speaker design (2W woofer + 2W tweeter, 8W total with Waves MaxxAudio)

Ports

5 differences
Ports specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
Thunderbolt / USB-C2× Thunderbolt 4 with USB Type-C + 1× USB-A3× Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) with DisplayPort and Power Delivery
HDMIHDMI 2.1No (via included USB-C to HDMI adapter)
SD cardNo1× MicroSD v6.0 card slot
MagSafeNoNo
Headphone jackYes (3.5 mm combo)Yes (3.5 mm headphone/microphone combo)
Charger100W USB Type-C power adapter60W / 100W Type-C AC Adapter

Battery

1 differences
Battery specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
Claimed battery lifeNot on the official sheet~10–12 hours mixed productivityUp to 12 hours (IPS) / ~8-9 hours (OLED)

Software

1 differences
Software specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
Operating systemWindows 11 HomeWindows 11 Home
RepairabilityMedium (accessible SSD and Wi-Fi card)Moderate (M.2 SSD and Wi-Fi replaceable)
Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Which one should you buy

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

Pick this one if

Dell XPS 14 (2024)

14.5-inch creative laptop with CNC aluminum chassis, optional NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 graphics, 3.2K 120Hz OLED touch display, and seamless glass haptic touchpad.

  • Dedicated NVIDIA RTX 4050 GPU in a compact 14.5-inch footprint
  • Vibrant 3.2K 120Hz InfinityEdge OLED touch display
  • High-quality quad-speaker array with deep bass response

What you give up

  • Heavier than typical 14-inch ultrabooks at 3.7 lb (1.68 kg)
  • Capacitive touch function row instead of physical keys

Best for each use

Travel

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

For travel, buy the Dell XPS 14.

  • Leads 2 of 2 rankable travel specs.
  • Weight: 3.70 lb vs 4.30 lb
  • Thickness: 18.0 mm vs 19.8 mm
  • Same list price, so the spec lead is the whole story.

Heavy work

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

Too close to call on heavy work from the spec sheets.

  • Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H vs Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
  • Graphics: Intel Arc Graphics + optional NVIDIA RTX 4050 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU

Longevity

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

Too close to call on longevity from the spec sheets.

  • Storage upgradable: Yes vs Yes
  • Repairability: Medium vs Moderate

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.

Manufacturer pages: HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) · Dell XPS 14 (2024)

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the HP Spectre x360 16 or the Dell XPS 14?

Both list at the same price.

What is the biggest catch with the HP Spectre x360 16 or Dell XPS 14?

Both has this deal-breaker: RAM cannot be upgraded. The memory you buy today is the memory you keep.

Which is better for travel, the HP Spectre x360 16 or the Dell XPS 14?

For travel, buy the Dell XPS 14. Leads 2 of 2 rankable travel specs. Weight: 3.70 lb vs 4.30 lb

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 29 specs tracked here, 25 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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