The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is on the upper end of the price range, offering higher storage and better performance for general use, engineering tasks, and especially for creative work that involves color accuracy, due to its high-resolution Mini LED display. However, it has less portability compared to lighter laptops. On the other hand, HP Envy x360 15" is more budget-friendly with less storage and lower performance capabilities, but it has a touch screen, which can be a significant advantage for certain users. It also features a standard IPS display with standard colors and lower resolution. If high performance and exceptional screen quality are paramount, and you're willing to invest more, then the MacBook Pro is a strong option. If budget constraints are a concern, and you still need a laptop that can handle everyday tasks with the flexibility of a touchscreen, the HP Envy x360 could be sufficient. 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
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP Envy x360 15"
The HP Envy x360 15" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
271.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the HP Envy x360 15" is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
6.0/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and HP Envy x360 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is better suited for 3D tasks due to its powerful GPU and high screen refresh rate, whereas the HP Envy x360 15" offers fair gaming performance, but its GPU is less capable for demanding 3D tasks and games, paired with a standard screen refresh rate. While the MacBook Pro might excel in visual tasks, its MacOS limits gaming options when compared to the Windows-based HP Envy, which supports a broader range of games.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.5/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Envy x360 15" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) outshines the HP Envy x360 15" for engineering and design tasks primarily due to its more powerful CPU, greater RAM, advanced GPU, and higher quality Mini LED screen; whereas, the HP has a standard IPS screen and less capable computing components. While the HP Envy x360 offers flexibility as a 2-in-1 device and has a touchscreen, it doesn't match the MacBook's performance, which is crucial for demanding engineering software, although both have similar portability and keyboard quality.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.3/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the HP Envy x360 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
8.3/10
7.2/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the HP Envy x360 15" 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
6.2/10
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
271.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the HP Envy x360 15" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) boasts a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and a panel type that delivers vivid colors and sharp details, which benefits general use and design tasks that require accurate color representation. It also covers a wide range of color gamuts, making it suitable for engineering and design work where color precision is key. However, its refresh rate isn't as high as gaming-oriented laptops, which makes it less ideal for 3D applications that rely on fast and fluid movement on screen.
Battery
13.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The HP Envy x360 15" has 10 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
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the HP Envy x360 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the HP Envy x360 15" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$430
$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 Envy x360 15" costs $430.
"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."
"Despite its good looks, stellar webcam and comfortable keyboard, the Envy x360 15 is hard to recommend because of its dim, 16:9 display. If the display isn't an issue for you, just be sure to wait for a good sale price. Otherwise, a more modern two-in-one with a 16:10 display such as the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 or Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 provides a larger workspace without adding much to the size and weight of the system."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the HP Envy x360 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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