The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is known for its sleek design, portability, and strong build quality, along with a high-resolution Retina display and longer battery life, making it ideal for those who prioritize a premium user experience and MacOS software. However, it commands a higher price. On the other hand, the HP Pavilion 15 offers more affordability, and typically comes with a variety of hardware configurations which might make it more suitable for tasks requiring more computing power or storage at a lower cost, but it may be heavier and not have as long battery life or display quality as the MacBook Air. If you value a Windows-based system with potential for higher performance specifications within a budget, the HP Pavilion 15 could be your preference, but if you are looking for a lightweight laptop with a strong ecosystem and longer battery life for everyday use, consider the MacBook Air despite its higher price. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP Pavilion 15
The HP Pavilion 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2020).
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
7.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is somewhat better.
The MacBook Air (2020) with its efficient Apple M1 CPU, high-resolution IPS screen, and a battery life conducive to portability make it ideal for general use, especially for users needing a long-lasting, lightweight laptop. However, the HP Pavilion 15 offers more RAM and storage, which may appeal to users requiring more resources for multitasking and data, despite having a lower-resolution TN screen and a heavier build.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
6.2/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good for engineering and design, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its high-resolution IPS display and Apple M1 processor delivers excellent screen quality and adequate performance for demanding engineering and design applications, while ensuring silent operation and superior portability.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.1/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is somewhat better.
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
7.7/10
6.6/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good for software development, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
7.5/10
5.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air delivers a high-resolution, bright display with excellent color accuracy, making it suitable for everyday tasks and detailed design work as it covers wider color gamuts for precise color representation. In contrast, the HP Pavilion 15's display falls short in brightness and resolution, which may lead to a less vivid and sharp viewing experience for both casual and professional purposes, and its color range isn't optimal for accurate engineering and design tasks. As for 3D applications, the MacBook Air's display doesn't support high refresh rates, essential for smooth visuals in 3D environments, whereas the Pavilion 15, although not excelling in resolution or panel type, equally may not meet the ideal standards for refresh rates required by gamers and professionals in 3D fields.
Battery
15.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 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
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the HP Pavilion 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the HP Pavilion 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$600
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the HP Pavilion 15 costs $600.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and HP Pavilion 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air (2020), with its integrated Apple M1 7-core GPU, offers modest performance for 3D applications but is limited by its operating system's incompatibility with many popular games. In contrast, the HP Pavilion 15, despite its basic Intel UHD Xe Graphics, can handle some gaming and 3D tasks on Windows, which supports a broader range of games, but its screen's lower resolution and quality limit visual experiences.
Give feedback
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the HP Pavilion 15 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The HP Pavilion 15 carries a fair amount of power and a sharp display in its handsome slimline shell. It's not perfect, but it's a hard worker. This is wonderfully designed and totes a heck of a lot of desktop power, with the added benefit of a decent webcam and a full-sized keyboard. If you're getting down to business on a budget, it's a great fit."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the HP Pavilion 15
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.
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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Joe Golden, Ph.D
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.