If you prioritize portability and battery life for everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption, the MacBook Pro is a solid choice known for its sleek design and optimized software. However, if your work involves gaming, 3D rendering, or intensive engineering software, the HP Omen Transcend is tailor-made for performance-heavy applications and would better suit your needs despite generally being heavier and having shorter battery life. Keep in mind the higher cost for the HP Omen reflects its advanced hardware capable of handling more demanding tasks. 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)
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 Omen Transcend 14
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
8.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The HP Omen Transcend 14 is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 with its high-quality CPU and RAM offers smooth performance for everyday tasks, along with a sharp screen and long battery life, making it highly portable and suitable for on-the-go use. The HP Omen Transcend 14, while also providing good CPU and RAM capabilities, delivers a bit more power for intensive applications, which along with excellent screen quality, makes it ideal for users who require a bit of extra performance for specialized tasks, with the trade-off being slightly less portability and battery life compared to the MacBook Pro.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
7.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The HP Omen Transcend 14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13, while well-suited for general use and creative software, has a less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate than gaming-oriented laptops, limiting its performance with 3D applications and a number of popular games that are incompatible with its operating system. The HP Omen Transcend 14, on the other hand, comes equipped with a more robust GPU and a higher refresh rate display, enhancing its capabilities for gaming and 3D rendering, and supports a wider range of popular game titles due to its Windows platform.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.5/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Omen Transcend 14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 offers a balance of CPU performance and high-resolution screen quality for engineering and design tasks, but the HP Omen Transcend 14 stands out with a stronger GPU and more RAM, which are crucial for more demanding 3D design and engineering simulations. While both have good build quality and displays, the MacBook Pro is more portable and has a reputation for a quieter operating noise, whereas the HP is tailored for high-end tasks but may sacrifice some portability and operate louder under load.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The HP Omen Transcend 14 is very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) 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.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
8.6/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The HP Omen Transcend 14 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 provides a high-resolution Retina display with bright and accurate colors, making it excellent for both general tasks and engineering work where detail and color accuracy are vital. However, it lacks a high refresh rate screen, which is critical for 3D applications and providing smooth visuals. The HP Omen, while also offering high resolution and strong color reproduction suitable for detailed engineering designs and everyday use, similarly falls short for gaming and 3D tasks because it doesn't prioritize a fast refresh rate, which is paramount for fluid motion and responsiveness in those fields.
Battery
20.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The HP Omen Transcend 14 has 11 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
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the HP Omen Transcend 14 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 Omen Transcend 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$1,699
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the HP Omen Transcend 14 costs $1,699.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Omen Transcend 14 to be very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) 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 Pro 13 (2020) and the HP Omen Transcend 14 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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the HP Omen Transcend 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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