Blue Turtle Yoga

In 2022, we’ve seen companies introduce some of the best laptops they’ve ever made. Among those, HP recently introduced the 2022 refresh of the Spectre x360 13.5, formerly known as the Spectre x360 14. This is a brand-new design for HP’s most premium convertible, and with it builds on what was already one of the easiest devices to recommend. So, if you’re buying a laptop today, should you choose the HP Spectre x360 13.5 over the Lenovo Yoga 9i – which we called the best consumer laptop in our review? That’s what we’re here to find out.

We’ll be comparing these two convertible laptops across a few different categories to help you decide which one is the best fit for you. While they have a similar form factor and they’re both modern devices, there are quite a lot of differences, too. Let’s take a closer look.

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HP Spectre x360 13.5 (2022) vs Lenovo Yoga 9i: Specs

Performance: 28W processors are faster

Both the HP Spectre x360 13.5 and Lenovo Yoga 9i are fully modern laptops updated for 2022, and that means they both have Intel’s 12th-generation processors. However, that doesn’t mean they’re the same. With its 12th-generation, Intel introduced the new P-series processors, which have a higher 28W TDP compared to the U-series processors and their 15W (the series is actually called U15 now). A higher TDP means more performance, and that’s pretty obvious comparing these two.

The HP Spectre x360 13.5 maxes out with an Intel Core i7-1255U, a processor with 10 cores (2P + 8E) and 12 threads, capable of boosting up to 4.7GHz. On the other hand, the Lenovo Yoga 9i can go as high as a Core i7-1280P, which has 14 cores (6P + 8E) and 20 threads, plus boost speeds up to 4.8GHz. That’s quite a big difference, and you can see that when you compare the benchmark scores for these processors.

For the sake of transparency, we should mention these are early numbers based on individual results, since there haven’t been enough tests with these processors for Geekbench to establish an average score. Still, it should give you an idea of what to expect. Both laptops also have integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, and they should perform similarly. The P-series processors do have the graphics unit clocked a little higher, but it shouldn’t make a huge difference in performance.

Evidently, having a higher TDP gives you much better performance, but it also means more power consumption, and based on our testing with the Lenovo Yoga 9i, battery life isn’t that great considering the size of the battery. You might actually get better battery life from HP’s laptop (though we haven’t had the chance to test it yet).

Aside from the processor, the HP Spectre x360 13.5 has an advantage in the RAM department, since you can get it with up to 32GB. It’s still using older LPDDR4x RAM clocked at 4266MHz, though, while Lenovo is using the newer LPDDR5 RAM with clock speeds up to 5200MHz. For storage, HP offers up to 2TB versus the 1TB of the Lenovo Yoga 9i, so that’s another advantage. Also, the HP Spectre x360 includes 512GB in its base configuration, so it’s better right out of the gate.

Display and sound: The Lenovo Yoga 9i has two different OLED panels

You’d be hard-pressed to say that either of these laptops has a subpar display, but they were different in a few ways. For starters, the HP Spectre x360 13.5 is smaller, with a 13.5-inch screen and a 3:2 aspect ratio. The base model comes in Full HD+ (1920 x 1280) resolution, and you can add an HP Sure View Reflect privacy screen if you want to keep sensitive information safe while working in public. If you want the best viewing experience, there’s the 3K2K (3000 x 2000) OLED panel, which is both sharp and vibrant thanks to the OLED technology.

The Lenovo Yoga 9i has a slightly larger 14-inch screen and the aspect ratio is 16:10, which isn’t as tall as 3:2, but it’s still taller than your typical 16:9 screen. Again, the base model is a Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) panel, but Lenovo offers not one, but two different OLED panels to upgrade to. First, there’s a 2.8K (2880 x 1800) option, which is already plenty sharp and comes with the extra benefit of having a 90Hz refresh rate, resulting in smoother animations, transitions, and so on. If you value resolution more, you can opt for the Ultra HD+ (3840 x 2400) OLED panel, which is even sharper but sticks to the more traditional 60Hz refresh rate.

One way or the other, the upgrade options on the Lenovo Yoga 9i are more appealing. But, just like the higher TDP for the processors, these better displays come at the expense of battery life. A higher refresh rate or a higher resolution consumes more power, and thus, you might actually prefer the HP Spectre x360 13.5 if you value portability. Plus, in a display of this size, HP’s 3K2K OLED panel is more than sharp enough already.

Just above that display, both laptops have a webcam capable of recording 1080p video, which is definitely welcome and arguably long overdue in 2022. HP may actually pull ahead here, though, because it’s using a 5MP camera with a bunch of smart features including auto framing and backlight adjustments. It makes it so that you can always be visible even if you move around in front of the laptop, plus you’ll always look your best. Regardless, both should serve you well enough for video calls and meetings.

As for sound, the Lenovo Yoga 9i continues to offer one of the best audio experiences on a Windows laptop. Both of these have quad stereo speakers, but Lenovo did something smart and built a pair of tweeters into the hinge of the laptop, which doubles as a soundbar. This ensures the speakers are always firing at the user, and paired with the side-mounted woofers, you get a much more immersive audio experience. Still, the setup on the HP Spectre x360 is far from bad, and it’s still better than many laptops of this size.

Design: Two stunning premium laptops

Depending on who you are, the design of a laptop can be just as important – if not more so – than the specs inside it. Looks are subjective, but some things aren’t, so let’s start there. Because it has a larger screen, the Lenovo Yoga 9i is both wider and taller than the HP Spectre x360 13.5, but it’s also thinner, measuring 15.25mm instead of 17.02mm. Still, it should be a little easier to fit the Spectre x360 into a bag. Plus, HP’s laptop is also lighter, particularly compared to the IPS models of Lenovo’s offering. It’s just easier to carry around in general, but to be fair, the difference isn’t massive – the Spectre x360 starts at 3.01lbs, while the Lenovo Yoga 9i starts at 3.31lbs with the IPS panel.

Perhaps more important, albeit more subjective, is how the laptops look and suffice it to say, they both look fantastic. Both Lenovo and HP have made some big changes from the previous generation, and they’re certainly welcome. The big change with the Lenovo Yoga 9i is that instead of the flat monochrome edges of the previous model, the laptop now has glossy rounded edges, and if you don’t think that makes a huge difference, think again. This new model looks stunning and feels much more premium than the last iteration. It’s available in two fairly subdued colors, but that sheen around the edges gives it just the right amount of flair.

On the other hand, the HP Spectre x360 13.5 has a new, less angular design compared to its predecessors, but it keeps what made the previous models so great. It has a dual-tone look for some of its configurations, which really adds to the premium feel. The Nightfall Black model uses black for its surfaces, but the edges are accented in a Pale Brass colorway, while the Nocturne blue model uses dark blue for its surfaces and a lighter shade of blue for the accents. The dual-tone aesthetic is much less prominent than in previous years, but it’s still enough to give this model some flair without being too distracting. If you want something even more subdued, there’s still a Natural Silver option without the dual-tone look.

Ports and connectivity: They’re very similar

Finally, let’s round things out with ports. Frankly, there isn’t much to say here considering the two laptops have similar setups, but there is one noteworthy difference. The Lenovo Yoga 9i comes with two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, plus a standard USB-C port, a USB Type-A port, and a headphone jack. For its part, the HP Spectre x360 13.5 replaces the standard USB-C port with a microSD card reader. That gives you a bit more variety out of the box, but it’s really up to you what’s most useful.

Both laptops are about what you’d expect for a premium laptop in 2022. There’s not a ton of variety, but having USB Type-A means you can at least plug in a mouse or some external storage in a pinch if you haven’t fully transitioned to USB-C yet (which many peripherals haven’t).

As for wireless communication, the two laptops are identical. Both support Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, and neither of them has cellular support. That’s par for the course when it comes to consumer laptops, as cellular support is usually geared more towards business users.

HP Spectre x360 13.5 (2022) vs Lenovo Yoga 9i: Final thoughts

With all the comparisons done, which one of these laptops should you buy? Well, it depends on what you need the most. The Lenovo Yoga 9i offers you the most performance (though it doesn’t go as high in terms of RAM or storage), plus it has the most premium display options, and a bigger screen to boot. Plus, it has a fantastic speaker setup for media consumption, and it just looks fantastic with its new design (as subjective as that is).

On the other hand, the lower-power processors on the HP Spectre x360 mean you should get better battery life, and the same can be said for the ever-so-slightly lesser display. Really, you’re not likely to notice a difference in quality when it comes to the screen, but it will be more efficient. Pair that with the smaller and lighter design, and the Spectre x360 is the better choice for mobility and getting work done on the go. Plus, the design of the HP Spectre x360 is also beautiful, and it’s truly a matter of personal preference between these two.

At the end of the day, both of these laptops will give you a phenomenal experience, so you don’t have to worry too much about picking the wrong one. If you’ve made your decision, you can buy your preferred laptop using the links below. If you’re not convinced yet, maybe check out the best HP laptops and the best Lenovo laptops to see what else these companies have to offer.