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Updated January 10, 2024· Prices updated 24 hours ago
To decide between the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the HP Dragonfly Pro, consider your priorities. The MacBook Air is known for its sleek design, lightweight portability, and strong battery life, making it ideal for general use and mobility. It runs macOS, which may be preferred for certain applications or workflows, especially if you’re invested in the Apple ecosystem. On the other hand, the HP Dragonfly Pro targets professional users with robust build quality and features suited for business applications. It operates on Windows, offering compatibility with a wide array of software, which is beneficial for users requiring specific Windows-only programs. If performance for 3D, machine learning, or gaming is crucial, the HP may have more powerful hardware, but check the exact specs to ensure it meets your needs. Expect a higher cost for increased performance and capabilities. Assessing your specific requirements in terms of operating system, performance, portability, and budget will determine which laptop is the better choice for you. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
- Very good for general use
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.5
7.1
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
405.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" for general use, and engineering and design.
The MacBook Air, with its high-resolution Retina display, provides crisp visuals and vibrant colors suitable for general use and intricate engineering tasks, as it covers a broad spectrum of color gamuts ensuring design precision. However, its refresh rate might not be high enough for smooth 3D rendering, which is critical for gaming or animation work. Similarly, the HP Dragonfly Pro offers a quality display with adequate resolution and color accuracy for productivity and design applications, but its gaming and 3D performance is hampered by a screen refresh rate that doesn't cater to the high-speed visual fluidity preferred in those fields.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has 10 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and HP Dragonfly Pro 14" both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
8.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
405.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Dragonfly Pro 14" to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its fanless design offers silent operation, very good portability due to its lighter weight, and long battery life, making it a solid choice for general use. Conversely, the HP Dragonfly Pro 14", while heavier, provides superior screen brightness and higher storage capacity, coupled with very good portability and exceptional keyboard quality, hence why it's considered very good for general tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.5
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its Apple-made GPU and standard screen refresh rate is rated fair for 3D due to the modest graphical capabilities and limitations with many games not being compatible with macOS. The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has a more robust AMD GPU and the same standard refresh rate, making it more suitable for gaming and 3D, although still with limitations compared to high-refresh-rate displays and more powerful dedicated GPUs.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.6
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for engineering and design.
For engineering and design, the Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its Apple M1 CPU and integrated GPU is well-regarded for its high-resolution screen and quiet, fanless operation, but it has less memory and storage compared to the HP Dragonfly Pro 14", which boasts a more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU, greater capacity for memory and storage, and a touchscreen feature, potentially enhancing productivity for design tasks. While the MacBook Air is lighter and has a longer battery life for better portability, the HP Dragonfly Pro offers a stronger performance and a better-suited screen for multitasking with its larger display and higher resolution.
Content Creation
7.8
7.9
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7
7.8
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | HP Dragonfly Pro 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | July 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 12.4'' x 8.8'' x 0.72'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 3.42 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | AMD Ryzen 7 7736U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 64.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 405 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 3 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Brendan Nystedt | March 2023
"I’d say that the HP Dragonfly Pro checks off most of the boxes for this freelancer. It feels nice to use, is zippy and responsive, has great speakers, and even has a relatively sane price. Although it’s an unorthodox choice to pick AMD for this kind of machine, it’s clear that when Ryzen is given a chance to shine, it can kick a lot of butt."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
0
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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