The Apple MacBook Air (2022) offers a higher-quality display, longer battery life, and a lightweight design, making it suitable for those prioritizing portability and performance, especially for graphics-intensive tasks. It runs macOS, which could be important if you're used to Apple's ecosystem or need software exclusive to it. The HP Pavilion 15 is more affordable and comes with a larger storage capacity and more RAM out of the box, which benefits multitasking and data-intensive tasks. However, its heavier weight and lower resolution display make it less ideal for on-the-go use and less suited for high-end visual work. The Pavilion operates on Windows, which may be preferred for compatibility with certain software and games. Choose the MacBook Air if your budget allows and you need a high-performance, portable laptop with a great display, or opt for the Pavilion if you're looking for a budget-friendly option with ample storage and don't mind a compromise on display and build quality. 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 Pavilion 15
The HP Pavilion 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2022).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.0/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) outperforms the HP Pavilion 15 for engineering and design tasks largely thanks to its superior Apple M2 processor, higher screen quality with a better resolution and color coverage, and more efficient GPU, making it well-suited for CPU and GPU-intensive applications common in those fields. Meanwhile, the HP Pavilion, with a more basic Intel i3 processor and lower-resolution TN panel, is less capable for demanding tasks, but offers more storage and RAM, which can be beneficial for certain uses, although it's less portable and has lower screen and speaker quality.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and HP Pavilion 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
6.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very 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
7.6/10
5.3/10
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 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 has a high-resolution display with bright, vibrant colors and a panel type that provides wide viewing angles, which enhances general use and engineering design with its accurate color reproduction covering a broad spectrum. However, it lacks a high refresh rate, making it less optimal for 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial. In contrast, the HP Pavilion 15 has lower resolution and brightness, and it doesn't cover the color gamuts as extensively, leading to an overall poorer visual experience across general use, engineering and design, and gaming or 3D tasks.
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
Excellent
Good
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent 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 (2022) 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
$899
$600
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 and the HP Pavilion 15 costs $600.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and HP Pavilion 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has an integrated GPU which, while it performs fairly for 3D tasks, is not as powerful as dedicated gaming GPUs, and the device's MacOS limits game compatibility, affecting gaming performance. On the other hand, the HP Pavilion 15 also has an integrated GPU which provides moderate 3D and gaming performance; however, the Windows operating system allows access to a broader range of games, even if the screen refresh rate does not favor high-end gaming.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) 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 (2022) 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,695
Recommendations made
22,468
Consumer hours saved
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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
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.