If you're looking for high performance for tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, or gaming, and are willing to invest more, the Apple MacBook Pro 16" is a suitable option with its robust processing capabilities. On the other hand, if you prioritize affordability and basic tasks like web browsing, document editing, or light media consumption, the HP Stream 14" offers a more budget-friendly choice with adequate performance for everyday use. The MacBook Pro also usually delivers longer battery life and a higher-quality display, which could be beneficial for professionals or enthusiasts, whereas the HP Stream is more lightweight and easier to carry, making it convenient for travelers or students. Remember, the MacBook Pro's higher cost also gets you a device that's well-suited for resource-intensive applications and could offer a longer lifespan due to its build quality and components. 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 (Late 2023)
Very good 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 Stream 14"
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.8/10
6.5/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels in CPU and GPU performance, RAM, and screen quality with a high-resolution Mini LED display, making it well-suited for demanding applications and offering excellent battery life at the expense of higher weight and price. Conversely, the HP Stream 14" has modest performance with a basic CPU and lower-quality TN panel, positioning it as an affordable and more portable option with passable battery life for everyday tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
5.7/10
6.2/10
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 (Late 2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a powerful GPU and a high screen refresh rate suitable for 3D applications and gaming, despite the limitation of many popular games not running on Macs. In contrast, the HP Stream 14" has a much weaker GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, making it unsuitable for gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
5.7/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with its advanced CPU, dedicated GPU, and high-resolution Mini LED screen, offers exceptional performance and visual clarity for engineering and design tasks, whereas the HP Stream 14" has a basic processor, integrated graphics, and a lower quality screen, making it less suitable for such demanding work. Additionally, the MacBook's higher RAM capacity allows for smoother multitasking and more complex projects, while the Stream, with its lesser RAM, struggles with intensive applications, despite being lighter for portability.
Content Creation
8.9/10
6.7/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (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
8.9/10
6.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
18.0 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 (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
9.3/10
5.2/10
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 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 16's screen boasts high resolution, superior brightness, and advanced panel technology, providing crisp visuals for general tasks and precision for engineering and design with its wide color gamut. However, its emphasis on color accuracy and resolution comes at the expense of a lower refresh rate, which can detract from the smoothness required for 3D applications. The HP Stream 14", on the other hand, has a screen that lacks in both resolution and advanced color capabilities, leading to subpar image quality for any of the mentioned uses, and its standard refresh rate doesn't meet the demands for 3D gaming or fluid graphics work.
Battery
17.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 14" has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
5.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (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
$2,499
$299
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a price of $2,499 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
"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."
"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 16 (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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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
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.