Apple MacBook Air 13" M3 vs HP EliteBook 840 G11
Apple's M3 MacBook Air delivers exceptional value at $1099, combining a stunning 2560x1664 display, impressive 18-hour battery life, and the M3's efficient performance for everyday tasks and creative work. HP's EliteBook 840 G11 costs $450 more but justifies some expense with a larger 14-inch screen, double the RAM (16GB vs 8GB), 512GB storage, and traditional ports including HDMI and USB-A—features valued by enterprise users. Performance-wise, the Intel Core Ultra 7 handles multitasking better, though the M3 excels at efficiency. Display quality favors Apple's brighter, sharper Liquid Retina panel over HP's 1920x1200 anti-glare option. Battery advantage goes to MacBook Air. For students, creatives, and general users seeking portability and value, the M3 MacBook Air is the stronger choice. Business users needing expandable storage, legacy ports, and Windows compatibility should consider the EliteBook despite its premium pricing.
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13" M3 | HP EliteBook 840 G11 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Pro |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.24 kg | 1.38 kg |
| Material | Aluminum unibody | Anodized aluminum |
| Dimensions | 304.1 x 215.0 x 11.3 mm | 321.1 x 215.3 x 17.9 mm |
| Ports | ||
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 2 | 2 |
| HDMI | — | 1 |
| USB-A ports | — | 2 |
| SD card | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours wireless web | Up to 14 hours mixed use |
| Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 51 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 13.6 inches | 14.0 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina IPS LED | WUXGA IPS anti-glare |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 1920 x 1200 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 500 | 400 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 256 GB | 512 GB NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Touch Bar | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 8 GB unified | 16 GB LPDDR5x |
| Cores | 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU | 12-core (2P+8E+2LPE) |
| Chipset | Apple M3 | Intel Core Ultra 7 165U |
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Air 13" M3
Pros
- Light and portable at 1.24 kg
- Excellent fanless M3 efficiency
- Bright 500-nit Liquid Retina display
- Up to 18 hours of battery life
- Supports two external displays with lid closed
Cons
- 8 GB base RAM increasingly limiting
- Only two Thunderbolt ports
- 256 GB SSD uses single NAND chip with slower speeds
- No high-refresh display
- Limited port selection
HP EliteBook 840 G11
Pros
- MIL-STD-810H certified for enterprise ruggedness
- Windows 11 Pro included for corporate deployments
- HP Wolf Security suite built in
- Comfortable keyboard with good key travel
- Good all-day battery life
Cons
- WUXGA display lacks the sharpness of higher-res panels
- 400-nit brightness is adequate but not outstanding
- Slim power envelope throttles CPU-intensive tasks
- Pricey relative to consumer ultrabooks with similar specs
- No discrete GPU available
Related Comparisons
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