The HP Stream 14" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
6.5/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a robust CPU and GPU, higher screen resolution and color coverage, and longer battery life, which contribute to a better experience for general use, although at a higher price and less storage compared to the HP Stream 14" that has more RAM but a weaker CPU, lower screen quality, and struggles with heat management. While both laptops are fairly portable, the MacBook's superior screen, speakers, and silent operation make it more suitable for media consumption and productivity, whereas the HP's TN panel and quality compromises make it appropriate for more basic tasks within a tighter budget.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
5.7/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
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 Stream 14" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers fair performance for 3D applications, thanks to its custom M2 GPU which is significantly more capable than the HP Stream 14"'s Intel UHD Graphics 600, but many popular games won't run on its MacOS operating system. The HP Stream 14" suffers in gaming and 3D rendering mainly due to its weaker GPU and a lower-quality TN screen, despite both having the same refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
5.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) outperforms the HP Stream 14" for engineering and design due to its superior processor (Apple M2), more powerful integrated GPU (Apple M2 10-core GPU), and a higher-quality Retina display, ensuring smoother performance and sharper visuals critical for such tasks.
Content Creation
8.0/10
6.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
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 Stream 14" 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
6.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the HP Stream 14" 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
5.2/10
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
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 Stream 14" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air boasts a high-resolution display and strong brightness levels, alongside a wide color gamut which ensures sharp, vibrant visuals for everyday tasks and detailed work in engineering and design. However, its lower refresh rate limits the smoothness necessary for high-end 3D applications. On the other hand, the HP Stream's display falls short in resolution and brightness, making it less suitable for any scenario that demands clarity, and its coverage of color gamuts is not substantial enough for precision tasks in engineering and design, nor does it offer a refresh rate conducive to fluid gaming or 3D modeling.
Battery
15.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 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
3.5 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and HP Stream 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
10.0/10
5.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the HP Stream 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$299
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
"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."
"With half of the main system memory and a fraction of the storage that we recommend in any budget Windows laptop, the HP Stream 14 does not impress. Perhaps it doesn't need to, depending on your reference point. For the price, you're getting a functional laptop with Windows 10, which already places the HP Stream 14 above most Chromebooks on that merit alone. Still, in this price range, you can't do much worse, but you can do better. In fact, for just $100 more, you can grab the much superior budget option, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the HP Stream 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.
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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About the laptop team
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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
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.