The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is a better choice for those who need high performance for tasks like engineering and 3D modeling, with its powerful Apple M3 chip and high-resolution Mini LED display, making it suitable for color-sensitive work. However, it is less portable due to its heavier weight and is more expensive than the HP Envy 17. The HP Envy 17, on the other hand, offers a larger screen and a number pad, which might be preferable for productivity and general use. It also features a touch screen, although its performance for intensive tasks and screen quality are outmatched by the MacBook Pro. If you need a device for everyday tasks and value a larger screen and touch capability at a more affordable price, the HP Envy 17 could be the practical choice. In contrast, if your priority is higher performance and screen quality for professional and creative tasks, you may find the investment in the MacBook Pro justifiable. 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 (Late 2023)
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 17
The HP Envy 17 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the HP Envy 17 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.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
7.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Envy 17 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is favored for its high-resolution Mini LED screen, impressive color accuracy, and potent integrated GPU, making it excellent for design work that demands both visual fidelity and graphical performance, albeit with less RAM compared to some competitors. In contrast, the HP Envy 17 offers a larger screen and more RAM for multitasking in engineering tasks, along with a high-performance CPU, but with a lower-resolution screen and less color precision, which may affect detail-oriented design work.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the HP Envy 17 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
8.2/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the HP Envy 17 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
6.8/10
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 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 14 offers a high-resolution Retina display with exceptional brightness and color accuracy, making it ideal for general use and demanding engineering tasks that require precise color representation, while the HP Envy 17 provides a large screen with good resolution and brightness, suitable for everyday activities and design work. However, for 3D applications, the MacBook Pro 14's display lacks the high refresh rate preferred for smooth rendering and animation, a deficiency also found in the HP Envy 17, which neither is tailored for high-end gaming or advanced 3D modeling. By prioritizing color accuracy and resolution, both laptops cater more to professional creatives and general users than to those focused on 3D and gaming where rapid screen refreshes are crucial.
Battery
17.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 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
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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 14 (Late 2023) 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
$1,499
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,499 and the HP Envy 17 costs $1,000.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and HP Envy 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Give feedback
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the HP Envy 17 compare to other laptops
"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."
"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 14 (Late 2023) 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.
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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.