The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is typically more expensive but offers exceptional screen color accuracy and a very high-resolution display, making it a good choice for creative professionals who prioritize visual fidelity and operating within the Apple ecosystem. It is notably more portable and has longer battery life for on-the-go use with a fanless design for silent operation. Both are not suited for intensive gaming. 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 Pro 13 (2020)
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP Envy 17
The HP Envy 17 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020).
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6/10
6.8/10
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the HP Envy 17 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13's screen excels in resolution and brightness with excellent color accuracy, making it ideal for general use and engineering tasks; however, its standard refresh rate is less suitable for 3D applications that benefit from smoother motion. The HP Envy 17 provides good resolution and brightness as well, with sufficient color reproduction for general tasks and engineering design, but like the MacBook, it lacks the high refresh rate favored by gaming and 3D visuals. Thus, for the best experience in 3D scenarios, a different laptop with a higher refresh rate would be a wiser choice.
Battery
20.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The HP Envy 17 has 8 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
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the HP Envy 17 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the HP Envy 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the HP Envy 17 costs $1,000.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and HP Envy 17 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) delivers excellent portability and battery life, featuring a high-quality screen and the efficient M1 processor, suitable for general use with its lightweight design and long-lasting battery. The HP Envy 17, on the other hand, offers a larger screen with touch capability and superior RAM, making it well-suited for general use that may require more screen real estate and multitasking capacity, albeit with reduced portability due to its larger size and weight.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
6.4/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Envy 17 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 with its Apple M1 integrated GPU performs fairly for 3D tasks due to its efficient but less powerful architecture; it also runs silently without a fan, catering well to productivity but limiting intense gaming abilities, particularly as macOS doesn't support many popular games.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
7.4/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Envy 17 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is equipped with an Apple M1 chip, offering both CPU and GPU performance suitable for engineering and design tasks, coupled with a high-quality 13.3" Retina display, while still providing silent operation and strong battery life for better portability.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.5/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and HP Envy 17 are both good for content creation.
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
7.8/10
7.5/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and HP Envy 17 are both good for software development.
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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the HP Envy 17 compare to other laptops
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
"In our test, the HP Envy 17-cr0079ng presents itself as a balanced multimedia laptop. Thanks to its solid CPU performance and dedicated entry-level GeForce, it can also be used for playing video games, as long as the demands aren't too high. Those looking for more can find it in the Dell XPS 17 for example."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the HP Envy 17
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,395
Recommendations made
22,403
Consumer hours saved
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
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
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.