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Updated January 12, 2024·
Since you are considering the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the HP Pavilion 15, if you prioritize high performance, especially for tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, or software development, the MacBook Pro may be worth the investment due to its powerful hardware. However, if you are looking for a laptop for general use like browsing, office applications, and light media consumption, and you want to save money, the HP Pavilion 15 will likely meet your needs without the extra cost of the MacBook. The MacBook Pro usually offers a better display and longer battery life, but it is less portable due to its weight and metal construction compared to the often lighter plastic build of the HP Pavilion 15. If gaming is a priority, you may want to look at specific models of the HP Pavilion that offer dedicated graphics. Keep in mind, the Apple ecosystem benefits, such as seamless device integration, are only pertinent if you use other Apple devices and services. 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 Pavilion 15
- The HP Pavilion 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.0
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the HP Pavilion 15 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 stands out for general use due to its significantly better CPU performance, higher RAM capacity, superior screen quality, lighter weight for increased portability, and a longer-lasting battery, contributing to its very good standing.
Gaming and AI
6.8
6.0
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
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 Pavilion 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a powerful GPU and a high refresh rate display, making it well-suited for 3D applications, but many popular games are not compatible with MacOS. In contrast, the HP Pavilion 15 has a less capable GPU and lower refresh rate screen, therefore it provides a fair gaming experience and is better suited for less demanding games that can run on its Windows operating system.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.2
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is equipped with a high-performance CPU and GPU that are specifically designed for demanding engineering and design tasks, combined with a high-quality Mini LED screen offering high resolution, contrast, and color accuracy. Meanwhile, the HP Pavilion 15 has a standard entry-level CPU and integrated graphics that are less suited for intensive tasks, and its screen has a lower resolution and color accuracy, which is less ideal for precision work that engineers and designers often engage in.
Content Creation
8.4
7.1
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the HP Pavilion 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
6.6
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the HP Pavilion 15 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
9.2
5.3
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Pro 14 boasts a high-resolution display with excellent brightness, making it ideal for vibrant and clear visuals in everyday tasks, while its wide color gamut satisfies the precision needed for engineering and design. However, its lower refresh rate compared to dedicated gaming laptops means it’s less optimal for smooth rendering in 3D applications. In contrast, the HP Pavilion 15 falls short in both resolution and brightness, leading to a less impressive experience for general use and design tasks, and its lack of a high refresh rate display also makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D work.
Battery
13.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 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
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the HP Pavilion 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
6.2
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the HP Pavilion 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$600
$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 Pavilion 15 costs $600.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the HP Pavilion 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) | HP Pavilion 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,905 | $600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | August 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 14.1'' x 9.5'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 14.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 9.53" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 Pro (8C) | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 13.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 479 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"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."
HP Pavilion 15
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Alex Cox | August 2022
"The HP Pavilion 15 carries a fair amount of power and a sharp display in its handsome slimline shell. It's not perfect, but it's a hard worker. This is wonderfully designed and totes a heck of a lot of desktop power, with the added benefit of a decent webcam and a full-sized keyboard. If you're getting down to business on a budget, it's a great fit."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the HP Pavilion 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.
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