The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers high-end performance, a stunning display, excellent build quality, and a very long battery life, making it suitable for professionals in video editing, music production, and software development. However, it comes with a higher price tag. The HP 15" Laptop, while more affordable, may have moderate battery life and performance, sufficient for everyday tasks like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption. If mobility is a priority, the HP is lighter, but if screen size and resolution are important, the MacBook Pro's larger, higher-quality display stands out. Choose the MacBook Pro if performance and display quality justify the expense; opt for the HP if you seek value and portability for everyday use. 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 16 (2021)
Excellent for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the HP 15" Laptop
The HP 15" Laptop has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
6.7/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels with a more powerful CPU, a greater amount of RAM, and a higher-quality screen, leading to more efficient multitasking and a better viewing experience, which justifies its heavier weight and larger size compared to the HP 15" Laptop. The HP, while more portable and lighter, offers lower performance due to its less capable processor, less RAM, and a screen with lower resolution and brightness, but it has the advantage of being more affordable.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
5.9/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3456 x 2234
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 16 (2021) is good for gaming and AI, while the HP 15" Laptop is poor.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
6.2/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in engineering and design use with a powerful CPU, ample RAM, high-performance GPU, and superior screen quality, providing exceptional detail and color accuracy for demanding tasks. In contrast, the HP 15" Laptop offers moderate capabilities with a basic CPU, limited RAM, standard integrated graphics, and lower screen resolution, making it suitable for lighter workloads but less ideal for intensive engineering applications.
Content Creation
8.8/10
6.9/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the HP 15" Laptop 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
8.9/10
6.7/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the HP 15" Laptop 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
9.4/10
6.3/10
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the HP 15" Laptop for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16" offers a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and color accuracy, making it suitable for both everyday tasks and the demands of engineering and design with its wide color gamuts. However, its lower refresh rate hinders the smoothness required for optimal 3D experiences. Conversely, the HP 15" Laptop provides adequate resolution and brightness for general tasks and can handle basic engineering and design work, but its screen offerings are not equipped for the high frame rates needed for immersive gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
17.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The HP 15" Laptop has 6 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
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the HP 15" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$378
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,949 and the HP 15" Laptop costs $378.
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
"Chances are high that the HP 15 is one of the first laptops to pop up when you search for an inexpensive notebook. Indeed, its price tag is very tempting for many, and of course, this is the reason for its popularity. However, the HP 15" suffers from poor performance due to low power consumption. On the bright side, one of the good things about it is the port selection. On the inside, this includes two SODIMM slots for memory, an M.2 PCIe x4 slot for storage, and a SATA drive bay. However, the TN panel, and mediocre input devices are not ideal."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the HP 15" Laptop
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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