The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers a well-regarded M2 processor, a larger 15.3-inch high-resolution display, and longer battery life for general use, but has less storage and memory compared to the HP EliteBook 845 G9. If sleek design and display quality are top priorities, the MacBook Air stands out, while the EliteBook is better for those requiring more storage, memory, and expandability for professional use. Both are midrange-priced and similarly capable in performance, so consider your specific needs regarding portability, battery life, and connectivity features when making your 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)
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP EliteBook 845 G9
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8/10
7.1/10
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
402.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the HP EliteBook 845 G9 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 offers a sharp and vivid display with high resolution and brightness ideal for general tasks and detail-oriented work in engineering and design, thanks to its wide color gamut covering both DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. The HP EliteBook 845 G9 provides a similarly good visual experience for general use and professional design tasks, though it may slightly trail behind in color accuracy for the most color-critical work. However, for 3D applications where smooth motion is key, both laptops lack the high refresh rates required for the best experience, making them less suited for that specific need.
Battery
15.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has 12 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
3.0 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and HP EliteBook 845 G9 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
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 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
$740
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the HP EliteBook 845 G9 costs $740.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and HP EliteBook 845 G9 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a high-resolution screen with vivid color coverage and a fanless design for silent operation, coupled with the lightweight form factor and long battery life; its M2 processor and 8GB RAM offer efficient performance for everyday tasks. The HP EliteBook 845 G9, on the other hand, includes more storage and memory, which aids multitasking and data-heavy tasks, and it comes with additional RAM slots for future upgrades, a consideration if versatility and expanded capacity are key for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.3/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and HP EliteBook 845 G9 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
7.6/10
7.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and HP EliteBook 845 G9 are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is better suited for engineering and design use with its high-resolution screen, which offers superior color accuracy and brightness, coupled with the Apple M2 chip that integrates both CPU and GPU for solid performance.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
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 EliteBook 845 G9 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
7.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for software development, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 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 EliteBook 845 G9 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The high-end version of the HP EliteBook 845 G9 with a Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS, 32GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD packs a lot of power, but is still quiet and cool enough to operate in noise-sensitive environments. Quiet, cool and drawing on a massive 40 watts from the APU at the same time, however, is not possible. The 14-incher only has a single-fan solution and it only just manages to keep an near unthrottled Ryzen 9 in check."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the HP EliteBook 845 G9
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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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.
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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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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.