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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air 15 offers a sleek design and a fanless operation for silent use, with a strong emphasis on color accuracy, making it excellent for creative tasks that involve photo and video editing. It provides solid performance for general use, but may lag behind in more demanding 3D or engineering software due to its integrated GPU. On the other hand, the HP Dragonfly Pro 14 comes with a higher capacity storage, more RAM for better multitasking, and a touchscreen for a more interactive experience. It's also equipped with a slightly more powerful processor and GPU combination suitable for more intensive tasks, although it won't excel in heavy gaming or the most hardware-demanding engineering applications. Both laptops have similar portability, but the HP Dragonfly offers more connectivity options thanks to its additional USB-C ports. If your work involves general productivity tasks and you value screen quality and silent operation, the MacBook Air is a strong choice. However, if you prioritize higher storage, more RAM, and a more versatile processor for a wider range of applications, the HP Dragonfly Pro may be a better fit. 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)
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
- Very good for general use
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8
7.1
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
405.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air 15’s display offers high resolution and brightness, making it clear and vibrant for everyday tasks, while the wide color gamut supports precise color work needed in engineering and design. However, its refresh rate isn't high enough to deliver optimal experience for 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial. On the other hand, the HP Dragonfly Pro’s screen meets the resolution and brightness demands for general use and adequate color coverage for engineering tasks, but, like the MacBook Air, falls short in refresh rate, impacting the fluidity required in gaming and 3D contexts.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has 10 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
3.4 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
8.5
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.0
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
405.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Dragonfly Pro 14" to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The HP Dragonfly Pro outmatches the MacBook Air in RAM and storage, which can enhance multitasking and data storage capacity, contributing to its "very good" general use classification despite being slightly heavier which affects portability. On the other hand, the MacBook Air offers a higher-quality screen and slightly better battery life, which, alongside Apple's M2 chip, delivers smooth performance for everyday tasks, warranting its recognition as "good" for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.5
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) 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.
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.6
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and HP Dragonfly Pro 14" are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is geared towards engineering and design due to its high-quality screen, efficient Apple M2 CPU and GPU, and MacOS which is often preferred by designers; its fanless design ensures silent operation, although it has less RAM and storage compared to the HP. On the other hand, the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" provides a potent AMD Ryzen CPU and AMD Radeon GPU combo with ample RAM and storage, plus a high-resolution touchscreen, making it a strong contender for engineering tasks, while also having a slightly thicker and heavier build, affecting its portability.
Content Creation
8.0
7.9
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for content creation, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
7.8
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for software development, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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 15 (2023) and the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | HP Dragonfly Pro 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | July 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 12.4'' x 8.8'' x 0.72'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 3.42 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | AMD Ryzen 7 7736U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 64.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 405 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1440p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 3 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"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."
HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Brendan Nystedt | March 2023
"I’d say that the HP Dragonfly Pro checks off most of the boxes for this freelancer. It feels nice to use, is zippy and responsive, has great speakers, and even has a relatively sane price. Although it’s an unorthodox choice to pick AMD for this kind of machine, it’s clear that when Ryzen is given a chance to shine, it can kick a lot of butt."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
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.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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.
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