When deciding between the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the HP 15" Laptop, consider that the MacBook Air is more expensive but offers significantly better screen quality, including higher brightness and color accuracy which is great for creative work, and it boasts a longer battery life along with a lighter build for easier portability. However, the HP Laptop is less expensive and includes a number pad on the keyboard, making it potentially more suited for business applications. The MacBook also has a better build quality and is silent since it doesn't rely on fans for cooling, but it comes with less variety in ports, which might limit connectivity options compared to the HP. If you prioritize higher performance and display quality and don't mind spending more, go for the MacBook Air. If you're looking for a budget-friendly laptop for everyday use and require a wider range of ports, the HP Laptop could be the better choice. 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
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP 15" Laptop
The HP 15" 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
250.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for general use, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) excels in general use due to its superior CPU, higher screen quality, exceptional battery life, and a silent, fanless design that ensures efficient heat management and reduces operating noise, alongside its lightweight and thin build enhancing portability.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
5.9/10
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 15" Laptop is poor.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
6.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
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 15" Laptop is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) excels in CPU, GPU, RAM, and screen quality which are very important for engineering and design tasks, and it is known for its silent operation and superior build quality, making it optimal for intensive workflows. The HP 15" Laptop, on the other hand, while fair in keyboard quality and with adequate portability, falls short in processing power and screen output, limiting its effectiveness for demanding engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
8.0/10
6.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
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 15" Laptop is only fair.
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
6.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
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 15" 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
15.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the HP 15" Laptop for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air's superior screen resolution and brightness, alongside its high-quality panel type, offer crisp and vibrant visuals that are especially beneficial for general use and detailed engineering and design work, where color accuracy and clarity are paramount. However, for 3D applications, which demand smooth motion representation, the MacBook Air falls short due to its lower refresh rate. Conversely, the HP 15" Laptop, while adequate for casual use and basic engineering tasks, lacks the higher color accuracy and screen quality of the MacBook, and like the MacBook, its lower refresh rate limits its appeal for gaming and 3D work.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The HP 15" Laptop 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
Very Good
Good
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the HP 15" Laptop has good 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 15" 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
$378
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the HP 15" Laptop costs $378.
"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."
"Chances are high that the HP 15 is one of the first laptops to pop up when you search for an inexpensive notebook. Indeed, its price tag is very tempting for many, and of course, this is the reason for its popularity. However, the HP 15" suffers from poor performance due to low power consumption. On the bright side, one of the good things about it is the port selection. On the inside, this includes two SODIMM slots for memory, an M.2 PCIe x4 slot for storage, and a SATA drive bay. However, the TN panel, and mediocre input devices are not ideal."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the HP 15" 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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