HP Spectre 13.3 laptop review: Thin doesn't have to mean compromise

The thin test

Determining a laptop’s thinness can be tricky since laptops aren’t uniform blocks (well, except for that original Google Pixel). Most laptops are wedged, so at what point do you compare their relative thickness? The 2016 MacBook 12, for example, is 13mm thick at its rear, with the front lip getting down to 4mm. The Spectre 13.3 is, for the most part, 10.4mm to 10.5mm, with the back end measuring about 12mm. (And no, neither measurement takes into account the laptops’ rubber feet.) Given such variances, probably the best way to determine thinness is by eyeballing it.

No compromises (well, there are a couple)

The thing is, everyone knows Apple made a few compromises on the MacBook 12 to make it the “thinnest Mac ever.” You only get one USB-C port and at just 5Gbps. The laptop also uses a low-power Intel Core m chip. While I think the Core m often gets a bum rap, there’s no denying that it gives up performance against a Core i7-class chip, which the HP Spectre 13.3 offers.

Another controversial feature of the MacBook 12 is its low-travel keyboard to save space. I’ve only met one person who said he actually prefers the MacBook 12 keyboard, and his opinion was delivered sheepishly—the same way you’d say you used the last bit of toilet paper and didn’t replace the roll.

HP managed to get a keyboard with a full 1.3mm of travel into the Spectre while still keeping the body 10.4mm thick.

Keyboard and trackpad

HP is particularly proud of the Spectre 13.3’s keyboard, which as stated earlier, boasts a full 1.3mm of travel. It’s backlit as well. In use, it’s far and away more satisfying than the MacBook 12’s keyboard, and good overall—even if the keys feel a bit looser than those on HP’s Spectre x360.