A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024)
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- 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 17" Laptop
- The HP 17" Laptop has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024).
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.3
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) and HP 17" Laptop are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) 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
7.7
6.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) is good for engineering and design, while the HP 17" Laptop is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.0
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) is very good for content creation, while the HP 17" Laptop is good.
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
8.1
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) is very good for software development, while the HP 17" Laptop 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
6.6
13.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
The MacBook Air 13 has a better screen than the HP 17" Laptop for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
15.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The MacBook Air 13 has 15 hours of battery life. The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 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
17.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.5 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) has excellent portability, while the HP 17" Laptop has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
6.0
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) has best in class build quality, while the HP 17" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,099
$600
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) has a price of $1,099 and the HP 17" Laptop costs $600.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.2
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) and HP 17" Laptop 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 13 (2024) and the HP 17" Laptop compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) | HP 17" Laptop |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,099 | $600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2024 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 15.8'' x 10.2'' x 0.81'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 4.58 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 15.78" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 10.15" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 486 nits | 287 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
HP 17" Laptop
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | November 2022
"As far as starter laptops go, the HP Laptop 17 is a sound investment. Sure, it might not be the lightest of options, but what you get for the price is a well-rounded machine that fits multiple niches. Whether it be office duties that require you to multi-task between multiple programs, or study tasks in which you’ll spend hours browsing online, this laptop does it all. Plus, when it's time to unwind, you can watch your favorite shows or movies on a super-wide display. What's best of all is that you can do all this for about half a day on a single charge."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) or the HP 17" Laptop
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) vs. HP Victus 15
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) vs. MSI Cyborg 15
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) vs. MSI GF65 Thin
VS
Compare HP 17" Laptop vs. Maypug 15" Laptop
VS
Compare HP 17" Laptop vs. HP Pavilion 15
VS
Compare HP 17" Laptop vs. Dell Latitude 5330 2-in-1
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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
103,395
Recommendations made
22,403
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.
Featured in
