For general use, the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is a premium option with a higher price, but offers better portability due to its lighter weight and slim design, as well as a high-quality display and silent operation since it has no fans. It's also more suitable for applications that benefit from a high-color accuracy display. On the other hand, the HP Envy x360 15" is more budget-friendly and offers a touchscreen, which the MacBook Air lacks. The HP also has a larger screen, but it is heavier which makes it less portable. It can be more suitable for tasks often done on Windows but isn't as strong in terms of display quality or soundless performance. If engineering tasks or gaming are a consideration, neither of these laptops are ideal powerhouses for those purposes. 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 (2022)
Good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP Envy x360 15"
The HP Envy x360 15" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2022).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.2/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
271.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and HP Envy x360 15" are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) excels in portability and silent operation with its lightweight design and fanless build, while also offering a high-quality display and long battery life, making it ideal for everyday tasks. In contrast, the HP Envy x360 15" brings versatility with its 2-in-1 convertible touch screen and good performance for general use, despite being heavier and having slightly lesser battery life.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the HP Envy x360 15" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) with its Apple M2 chip offers stronger CPU and GPU performance, vital for demanding engineering and design tasks, and higher screen quality with a brighter and more color-accurate display than the HP Envy x360 15", which, while still serviceable for engineering use, falls short in these crucial areas. However, the HP has a convertible 2-in-1 design with a touchscreen, potentially adding versatility for design work, at the cost of being heavier, affecting portability.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and HP Envy x360 15" are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Air (2022) 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
8.0/10
7.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the HP Envy x360 15" is good.
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
7.6/10
6.2/10
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
271.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the HP Envy x360 15" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Air's screen offers higher resolution and brightness, making text and images sharp and vivid for everyday activities, while HP Envy x360's screen delivers adequate quality, but may not be as crisp or bright. For engineering and design, the MacBook Air covers a wider color spectrum, offering more accurate colors crucial for detailed work, but the HP Envy x360's color range, while sufficient, is not as broad. However, for 3D applications, the MacBook Air falls short due to a lower refresh rate, which could lead to less fluid visuals compared to laptops with higher refresh rates, an area where neither the MacBook Air nor the HP Envy x360 excel.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The HP Envy x360 15" 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
Excellent
Good
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the HP Envy x360 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the HP Envy x360 15" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$799
$430
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $799 and the HP Envy x360 15" costs $430.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and HP Envy x360 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the HP Envy x360 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."
"Despite its good looks, stellar webcam and comfortable keyboard, the Envy x360 15 is hard to recommend because of its dim, 16:9 display. If the display isn't an issue for you, just be sure to wait for a good sale price. Otherwise, a more modern two-in-one with a 16:10 display such as the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 or Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 provides a larger workspace without adding much to the size and weight of the system."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the HP Envy x360 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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About the laptop team
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
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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.