For intensive engineering tasks, video editing, or creative work involving color accuracy, the Apple MacBook Air with its M2 processor, high-resolution screen, and longer battery life is well-suited, but it is pricier. It's also lighter, making it more portable, and it runs MacOS which can be preferable for certain applications. However, it lacks a touchscreen. The HP laptop is a budget-friendly option and runs Windows, which might be required for certain software. Its processor is capable for general use and the screen is standard Full HD, but its battery life is shorter and it may not handle demanding tasks as smoothly as the MacBook Air. 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 15 (2023)
Good for general use
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 battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP 14" Laptop
The HP 14" Laptop has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
6.7/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for general use, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
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.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
5.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP 14" Laptop is poor.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is equipped with an Apple M2 GPU which supports fair 3D performance but may not be ideal for popular games as many do not run on MacOS, while the HP 14" Laptop with its AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Vega 7 GPU offers fair capability for gaming and 3D, and being a Windows machine, does not face the same software compatibility issues that affect the MacBook Air. Both laptops have similar display qualities with screens that provide standard refresh rates, but neither are designed with high-end GPUs or high refresh rate displays that are typically sought after for the most demanding gaming and professional 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
6.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)'s superior main processor and GPU, along with a higher-resolution and brighter screen with wider color coverage, make it better suited for demanding engineering and design tasks compared to the HP 14" Laptop, which, despite having similar RAM and storage, offers lower screen quality and less powerful processing capabilities. The MacBook also benefits from a larger screen, which can be advantageous for design work, though this can affect its portability compared to the HP, which is slightly more compact and may be easier to carry around.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the HP 14" 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
8.1/10
6.8/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the HP 14" Laptop 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
7.8/10
6.3/10
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the HP 14" Laptop for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 likely has a high-resolution display and superior brightness, making it great for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work where color accuracy and clarity are essential. Its display probably covers a wide range of colors used by professionals, but may have a lower refresh rate, which is not ideal for 3D applications that require fluid motion. On the other hand, the HP 14" likely has a more average display that doesn't excel in brightness or color spectrum, making it adequate for general and engineering use but less suitable for gaming and 3D work where a higher refresh rate is needed.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The HP 14" Laptop has 8.5 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
Very Good
Very Good
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.2 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and HP 14" Laptop both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the HP 14" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$418
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the HP 14" Laptop costs $418.
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
"This feels like an ideal laptop for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a laptop and isn’t too bothered by things like build quality or construction. It’s a laptop that will be used to pay bills, keep track of expenses, do some online shopping, and will be tucked away in a spare bedroom/home office. It’s an appliance designed to do a job without fuss. It’s not a premium experience—the materials do feel a little cheap, the display won’t exactly wow you, and the battery life is nothing to write home about, especially if you’ve used more expensive devices. But overall it’s not too shabby, especially for the price."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the HP 14" 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.
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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