The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers superior performance and is better for intensive tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, or running complex engineering software; it also has a longer battery life and a higher-quality display, which can be important if you're doing design work or simply want the best multimedia experience. On the other hand, the HP 250 G10, while less powerful, is more affordable and could suffice for general use like browsing, office applications, or light photo editing. It's lighter and might be preferable if you need something more portable and don't require high-end performance. Keep in mind that the MacBook Pro uses macOS, so if you rely on Windows-specific software, the HP 250 G10 may be the more suitable 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 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 250 G10
The HP 250 G10 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
6.3/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
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 250 G10 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers superior performance with its more powerful processor and higher RAM, leading to faster and more efficient handling of everyday tasks, and its high-resolution Mini LED screen ensures excellent image quality.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
5.7/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
3456 x 2234
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 16 (2021) is good for gaming and AI, while the HP 250 G10 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) comes with a more powerful GPU and a high-quality screen, making it suitable for 3D applications and some gaming despite the limited selection of games for macOS. In contrast, the HP 250 G10 has a weaker GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, hindering its ability to handle demanding games and 3D tasks effectively.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
5.8/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the HP 250 G10 is poor.
The MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in engineering and design due to its more powerful processor, superior graphics, ample RAM, and a high-quality screen with better resolution and color accuracy. Conversely, the HP 250 G10 falls short in these areas with a less capable CPU, basic graphics, less RAM, and a lower-quality display, which limits performance and precision essential for engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
8.8/10
6.2/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the HP 250 G10 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
6.4/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the HP 250 G10 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
5.3/10
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the HP 250 G10 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the MacBook Pro 16's screen stands out due to its high resolution and brightness, providing crisp images and visibility even in well-lit environments, whereas the HP 250 G10's display may appear dull and less sharp due to lower brightness and resolution. In engineering and design, the MacBook Pro's coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB ensures accurate color representation crucial for detailed work, a feature lacking in the HP's screen. While for 3D applications, the MacBook Pro's lower refresh rate might not be ideal for the smoothest visuals compared to laptops with higher refresh rates, notwithstanding its adequate resolution and panel quality that still provide a decent experience.
Battery
17.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The HP 250 G10 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 250 G10 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
$349
$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 250 G10 costs $349.
"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."
"The HP 250 G10 is a decent budget device that surprises us with its high CPU frequencies under load. Still, our configuration has a Core i5-1335U which doesn’t require significant cooling, if choose a 28W P-series processor, maybe the situation with the clocks could be different. If you want to play some casual game after work, a memory in dual-channel is a must because it increases greatly the iGPU performance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the HP 250 G10
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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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.
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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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