Selecting between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the HP Stream 14" comes down to your needs and budget. The MacBook Pro offers significant advantages in performance, with its Apple M3 chip, higher quality Mini LED display, better battery life, and overall build quality. It's suited for intensive tasks like video editing, programming, and graphic design. Conversely, the HP Stream 14" is much more affordable and can handle everyday tasks such as web browsing, office applications, and streaming, but it has lower performance capabilities, a standard display, and likely shorter battery life. For demanding tasks and a premium experience, choose the MacBook Pro. If you prioritize cost and only need basic functionality, the HP Stream might be the better option. 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
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
The HP Stream 14" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
6.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
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
6.7/10
5.7/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
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 (Late 2023) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 comes with a high-quality GPU and a high refresh rate screen, which makes it suitable for 3D applications, while the HP Stream 14" has a basic GPU and a lower refresh rate screen, hindering its gaming and 3D capabilities.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
5.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its powerful Apple M3 processor and high-quality Mini LED display, is well-equipped for demanding engineering and design tasks, while the HP Stream 14's Intel Celeron processor and basic TN screen fall short for such intensive work. Moreover, the MacBook Pro's superior RAM, GPU, and screen resolution offer a smoother and more detailed visual experience that professionals in those fields require.
Content Creation
8.4/10
6.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
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
6.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the HP Stream 14" 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
9.2/10
5.2/10
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers a high-resolution, bright display with accurate color reproduction, catering to general use and professional engineering and design needs where visual precision is paramount. However, since its focus is not on the highest refresh rates, it falls short for 3D applications where fluid motion is crucial. In contrast, the HP Stream 14’s lower resolution and dimmer screen with limited color range make it less suitable across all categories, impacting the user experience whether it's for everyday tasks, professional work, or gaming and 3D content.
Battery
17.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 hours of battery life. The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 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
5.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the HP Stream 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,499
$299
$0
$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 Stream 14" costs $299.
"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."
"With half of the main system memory and a fraction of the storage that we recommend in any budget Windows laptop, the HP Stream 14 does not impress. Perhaps it doesn't need to, depending on your reference point. For the price, you're getting a functional laptop with Windows 10, which already places the HP Stream 14 above most Chromebooks on that merit alone. Still, in this price range, you can't do much worse, but you can do better. In fact, for just $100 more, you can grab the much superior budget option, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) or the HP Stream 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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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
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