The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) offers superior display quality and overall performance, including better handling of demanding tasks like 3D rendering or engineering software, but it comes at a higher price. The HP EliteBook 845 G9, while more affordable, provides good general performance suitable for everyday tasks and business applications, but may not perform as well with intensive graphics or processor-heavy tasks. The MacBook Pro boasts a touch higher battery life and a more vibrant display but is slightly heavier than the EliteBook, which could affect portability. The EliteBook runs Windows, which may be more familiar or compatible with certain software compared to the MacBook's MacOS. 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 14 (2021)
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
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 Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
402.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers a superior screen quality with higher resolution, and its Apple M1 Pro CPU provides powerful performance for general use; plus, it boasts longer battery life, making it very well-suited for a variety of tasks and easier to use on the go. On the other hand, the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is lighter and carries the flexibility of Windows 11 Pro, catering well to general use with solid performance from its AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and a good screen, making it a good choice for users who prioritize portability and a Windows environment.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
6.3/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and HP EliteBook 845 G9 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in 3D tasks due to its high-performance GPU, which also benefits from an excellent screen quality, although the refresh rate is standard for most laptops; however, note that due to software compatibility, popular games might not run on the macOS. The HP EliteBook 845 G9, while having a capable CPU and satisfactory screen quality, has a less powerful GPU and typical screen refresh rate, making it only moderately suitable for gaming and less intensive 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.2/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.6/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is 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
8.3/10
7.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is 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.
Screen Quality
9.2/10
7.1/10
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
402.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 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 Pro 14 excels in screen quality for general use and engineering with its high resolution, brightness, and extensive color gamut coverage, providing vivid and accurate colors crucial for design work. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for 3D applications which require smoother motion. The HP EliteBook 845 G9 offers good resolution and brightness for general tasks and supports a wide color range for engineering use, though it falls short for gaming and 3D work due to its less impressive refresh rate.
Battery
13.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) 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
$1,905
$740
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the HP EliteBook 845 G9 costs $740.
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
"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 Pro 14 (2021) 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.