If budget is a concern and you're after a laptop for routine tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption, the HP Pavilion 15 could be a satisfactory choice at a lower price. On the other hand, if you need more power for creative work, value a higher quality display, and prefer a lighter, thinner design with potentially better battery life, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) stands out but costs more. The MacBook Air also typically offers a smoother experience with more premium build quality and is better suited for tasks involving video editing, graphic design, or software development, especially within the Apple ecosystem. 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 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 Pavilion 15
The HP Pavilion 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.0/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air offers a balance of high-performance CPU, sufficient RAM, and a high-quality screen, all in a lightweight design with long battery life, making it an excellent choice for general use and portability. Whereas the HP Pavilion 15, while also providing adequate CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, typically offers more storage and a variety of ports, but may be heavier and have shorter battery life, making it less ideal for constant movement.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
6.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is more suitable for engineering and design because it has a more powerful CPU and integrated GPU setup in the Apple M2 chip, while the HP Pavilion 15 has a less powerful Intel i3 processor and integrated UHD graphics, which are less suited for demanding tasks. Furthermore, the MacBook Air features a higher-quality, brighter IPS screen with a higher resolution, which is essential for design precision, as opposed to the Pavilion's lower-quality TN panel with a lower resolution, impacting visibility and color fidelity.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the HP Pavilion 15 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
6.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the HP Pavilion 15 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
5.3/10
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) boasts a high-resolution display and exceptional brightness, delivering crisp, clear visuals that enhance everyday tasks, while its wide color gamut ensures accuracy crucial for engineering and design work. However, lacking a high refresh rate, it falls short for 3D applications where fluid motion is essential. In contrast, the HP Pavilion 15's lower resolution and brightness result in less impressive image quality across general use and professional scenarios, and its limited color accuracy and refresh rate don't meet the demands of gaming, 3D work, or precision tasks in design and engineering.
Battery
15.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 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 Pavilion 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the HP Pavilion 15 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
$600
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the HP Pavilion 15 costs $600.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and HP Pavilion 15 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 15 (2023) and the HP Pavilion 15 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 HP Pavilion 15 carries a fair amount of power and a sharp display in its handsome slimline shell. It's not perfect, but it's a hard worker. This is wonderfully designed and totes a heck of a lot of desktop power, with the added benefit of a decent webcam and a full-sized keyboard. If you're getting down to business on a budget, it's a great fit."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the HP Pavilion 15
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 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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