When choosing between the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the HP Omen 16, consider your primary use. The MacBook Air is more portable and offers better battery life, making it ideal for general use and on-the-go tasks. If you engage in gaming, 3D modeling, or machine learning, the HP Omen 16 is better equipped with higher performance hardware but comes at the cost of reduced battery life and increased weight, impacting portability. The Omen is typically more upgradable, allowing for future enhancements. The MacBook Air is a sleeker option, with ease of use in the macOS ecosystem, which may be a deciding factor if you prefer or are invested in Apple products. Choose the MacBook Air for everyday use and portability, and the Omen for performance-driven tasks. 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)
Very good for software development
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP Omen 16
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
8.0/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Omen 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has an integrated GPU which is less powerful than dedicated gaming GPUs and a standard screen refresh rate, making it fair for 3D applications and not suitable for intensive gaming. The HP Omen 16, on the other hand, comes with a high-performance Nvidia GPU and a higher refresh rate display, which provides very good performance for both gaming and 3D tasks; however, it's important to consider that many popular games are not compatible with MacOS, unlike the Windows-based HP Omen.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Omen 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The HP Omen 16 stands out for engineering and design with a more powerful Intel processor, double the RAM, and a superior Nvidia GPU, making it well-suited for intensive tasks, but it's heavier and less portable than the sleek, fanless MacBook Air with its efficient M2 chip and high-quality screen that offers better colors and portability, albeit with lower performance hardware. While both have excellent keyboards and displays, the choice between them depends on whether priority is given to high performance and expandability in the HP Omen 16 or to the portability and silent operation of the MacBook Air.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.6/10
13.6in
SIZE
16.1in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
338.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the HP Omen 16 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the HP Omen 16 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
When considering a laptop for general use, the MacBook Air's display excels with high resolution and brightness, and its panel type ensures crisp and clear images, making it very suitable for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, it offers wide color gamuts enabling accurate color representation which is crucial for professionals in those fields. However, for 3D applications, the MacBook Air falls short as it lacks a high refresh rate, which is essential for smooth and responsive visuals that 3D modeling and gaming demand.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The HP Omen 16 has 6 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
Fair
13.6in
SIZE
16.1in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.4 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the HP Omen 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the HP Omen 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$899
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 and the HP Omen 16 costs $1,100.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and HP Omen 16 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) excels in portability and silent operation with its higher screen resolution and longer battery life, making it ideal for general use on the go. In contrast, the HP Omen 16 offers a more powerful CPU, more RAM, and better gaming capabilities due to its dedicated GPU, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life, making it more suitable for stationary general use and gaming.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.8/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and HP Omen 16 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
8.0/10
7.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be very good for software development, while the HP Omen 16 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the HP Omen 16 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 Omen 16 has proven to be a fairly good mid-range gaming laptop with all-around improvements compared to the Omen 15. The high overall performance level across all use cases, the long battery life, and the good FHD display constitute the main advantages of this HP laptop. The main drawbacks are the faulty touchpad (one-off?) and the high latencies that can be observed even after just opening the browser. Furthermore, the useless, preinstalled 30-day trial versions of various software also fall under the category "unnecessary"."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the HP Omen 16
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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