Head to head

HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) vs MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)

MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) leads 7 to 3 on the 10 rankable specs, but HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) costs $1,800 less.

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); MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) lists Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (nano-texture optional) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Processor: HP Spectre x360 16 lists Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (HP sheet, 2026-09-02); MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) lists Apple M4 Max (16-core CPU: 12 performance + 4 efficiency, 16-core Neural Engine) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Memory: HP Spectre x360 16 lists 32GB LPDDR5x (HP sheet, 2026-09-02); MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) lists 36 GB unified memory (configurable up to 128 GB) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Claimed battery life: HP Spectre x360 16 lists ~10–12 hours mixed productivity (other published figure, not on maker sheet); MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) lists Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 hours wireless web (other published figure, not on maker sheet).
Size: HP Spectre x360 16 lists 16.0 inches (HP sheet, 2026-09-02); MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) lists 16.2 inches (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).

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

HP Spectre x360 16 (2024)

$1,6993 spec wins

Swap

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MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)

$3,4997 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: 3 to 7

Buy the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max).

Leads 7 of 10 rankable overall specs; HP Spectre x360 16 takes 3.
Memory: 36 GB unified memory vs 32GB LPDDR5x
Claimed battery life: Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 hours… vs ~10–12 hours mixed productivity
HP Spectre x360 16 is $1,800 cheaper. Pay the difference only if memory matters to you.

Check first: the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) has no touchscreen. the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) has macOS, not Windows. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

3 HP Spectre x360 1610 rankable of 29 specsMacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) 7

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No touchscreenrow
No pen or touch input for marking up PDFs or sketching.
Clear:HP Spectre x360 16 · Yes (Pen & Touch enabled)Trips:MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) · No
RAM cannot be upgradedrow
The memory you buy today is the memory you keep.
Trips:HP Spectre x360 16 · No (soldered)Trips:MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) · No (soldered unified memory)
macOS, not Windowsrow
Windows-only software such as some CAD, games and corporate VPN clients needs a workaround.
Clear:HP Spectre x360 16 · Windows 11 HomeTrips:MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) · macOS Sequoia
Over 4 lb (1.8 kg)row
Heavy in a backpack on a daily commute.
Trips:HP Spectre x360 16 · 4.30 lbTrips:MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) · 4.7 lb

At a glance

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

4 of 4 differ

Panel≠

2.8K OLED Touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass

Apple

Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (nano-texture optional)

Processor≠

Intel Core Ultra 7 155H

Apple

Apple M4 Max (16-core CPU: 12 performance + 4 efficiency, 16-core Neural Engine)

Memory

32GB LPDDR5x

Apple

36 GB unified memory (configurable up to 128 GB)

Claimed battery life

~10–12 hours mixed productivity

Apple

Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 hours wireless web

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.

Apple: What to watch for

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

HP Spectre x360 16$1,6993 wins

MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)$3,4997 wins

Display Performance Build & input Ports Battery Software

29 of 29 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Display

leads 3-1

Display specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max).
Size	16.0 inches	16.2 inches (wins this row: higher)
Panel	2.8K OLED Touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass	Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (nano-texture optional)
Resolution	2880 × 1800	3456 × 2234 (254 ppi) (wins this row: higher)
Refresh rate	120 Hz VRR	120 Hz (ProMotion)
BrightnessNot on the official sheet	400 nits SDR / 500 nits HDR	1000 nits SDR, 1600 nits peak HDR (wins this row: higher)
Color	100% DCI-P3, Low Blue Light	P3 wide color
Touchscreen	Yes (Pen & Touch enabled) (wins this row: has it)	No

Performance

6 differences

Performance specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max).
Processor	Intel Core Ultra 7 155H	Apple M4 Max (16-core CPU: 12 performance + 4 efficiency, 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics	Intel Arc Graphics + optional NVIDIA RTX 4050	Integrated 40-core Apple GPU with hardware ray tracing
Memory	32GB LPDDR5x	36 GB unified memory (configurable up to 128 GB) (wins this row: higher)
RAM upgradable	No (soldered)	No (soldered unified memory)
Storage	1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD	1 TB PCIe SSD
Storage upgradable	Yes (1× M.2 slot) (wins this row: has it)	No (soldered SSD)

Build & input

7 differences

Build & input specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max).
Weight	4.30 lb (1.95 kg) (wins this row: lower)	4.7 lb (2.14 kg)
Thickness	19.8 mm	16.8 mm (0.66 inches) (wins this row: lower)
Materials	Sandblasted CNC Aluminum	100% recycled aluminum unibody
Keyboard	Full-size backlit nightfall black keyboard	Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and full-height function row
Trackpad	Haptic glass trackpad	Force Touch trackpad
Webcam	HP Wide Vision 9MP IR camera with temporal noise reduction	12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View
Speakers	Quad speakers tuned by Poly Studio with Audio Boost	High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers and Spatial Audio

Ports

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Ports specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max).
Thunderbolt / USB-C	2× Thunderbolt 4 with USB Type-C + 1× USB-A	3× Thunderbolt 5 ports (up to 120 Gb/s)
HDMI	HDMI 2.1	1× HDMI 2.1 (up to 8K 60Hz or 4K 240Hz)
SD card	No	1× SDXC card slot
MagSafe	No	Yes (MagSafe 3) (wins this row: has it)
Headphone jack	Yes (3.5 mm combo)	Yes (3.5 mm with high-impedance support)
Charger	100W USB Type-C power adapter	140W USB-C Power Adapter (fast-charge capable)

Battery

leads 1-0

Battery specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max).
Claimed battery lifeNot on the official sheet	~10–12 hours mixed productivity	Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 hours wireless web (wins this row: higher)

Software

2 differences

Software specifications. Middle column is HP Spectre x360 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max).
Operating system	Windows 11 Home	macOS Sequoia
Repairability	Medium (accessible SSD and Wi-Fi card)	Low (integrated SoC design)

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

HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) source MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) source

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

Full HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) specs →

Pick this one if

MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)

16.2-inch professional powerhouse with Apple M4 Max chip, Liquid Retina XDR with nano-texture option, Thunderbolt 5, and up to 24 hours battery life.

Unrivaled M4 Max CPU/GPU sustained performance
Liquid Retina XDR with up to 1,600 nits HDR and optional nano-texture glass
Three high-speed Thunderbolt 5 ports (up to 120 Gb/s)

What you give up

Heavy at 4.7 lb (2.14 kg)
Expensive high-end configuration

Full MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) specs →

Best for each use

Travel

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

For travel, buy the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max).

Leads 3 of 4 rankable travel specs; HP Spectre x360 16 takes 1.
Claimed battery life: Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 hours… vs ~10–12 hours mixed productivity
Thickness: 16.8 mm vs 19.8 mm
HP Spectre x360 16 is $1,800 cheaper. Pay the difference only if claimed battery life matters to you.

Heavy work

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

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

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H vs Apple M4 Max
Graphics: Intel Arc Graphics + optional NVIDIA RTX 4050 vs Integrated 40-core Apple GPU with hardware…

Longevity

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

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

RAM upgradable: No vs No
Repairability: Medium vs Low

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.

HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) spec sheet MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: HP Spectre x360 16 (2024) ↗ · MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the HP Spectre x360 16 or the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)?

HP Spectre x360 16 costs $1,800 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the HP Spectre x360 16 or MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)?

MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) has this deal-breaker: no touchscreen. No pen or touch input for marking up PDFs or sketching.

Which is better for travel, the HP Spectre x360 16 or the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)?

For travel, buy the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max). Leads 3 of 4 rankable travel specs; HP Spectre x360 16 takes 1. Claimed battery life: Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 hours… vs ~10–12 hours mixed productivity

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 29 specs tracked here, 19 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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