Apple MacBook Pro 14" M3 Pro vs HP OMEN 17
The Verdict
Apple's MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro excels for creative professionals and general productivity, offering a stunning 3024 x 1964 Liquid Retina XDR display with 1600 nits brightness, exceptional battery life reaching 17 hours, and the efficient M3 Pro chip with 18GB unified memory. The aluminum unibody weighs just 1.61 kg and includes thoughtful ports like MagSafe and Thunderbolt 3. HP's OMEN 17 targets gamers and power users with its larger 17.3-inch 240Hz display, superior raw specs (32GB DDR5, Intel i9-13900HX with 24 cores), and expandable storage up to 2TB across dual slots. However, battery life plummets to 5 hours, weight balloons to 2.90 kg, and the 300-nits display cannot match the MacBook's vibrant output. At $1999 versus $1799, the MacBook justifies its premium through portability, display quality, and longevity. OMEN wins for gaming and rendering workloads but demands frequent charging. Choose the MacBook for balanced, mobile computing; pick OMEN if you prioritize gaming performance and rarely leave a desk.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple MacBook Pro 14" M3 Pro if…
- →M3 Pro with 3nm process delivers 20% faster CPU than M2 Pro
- →Stunning Liquid Retina XDR display with 1600-nit HDR peak brightness
- →18 GB unified memory is a welcome base RAM increase over M2 Pro
Buy the HP OMEN 17 if…
- →Large 17.3-inch QHD 240Hz display is excellent for gaming
- →RTX 4080 Laptop GPU handles AAA titles at high settings
- →24-core i9-13900HX excels at multitasking and content creation
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Pro 14" M3 Pro
Pros
- M3 Pro with 3nm process delivers 20% faster CPU than M2 Pro
- Stunning Liquid Retina XDR display with 1600-nit HDR peak brightness
- 18 GB unified memory is a welcome base RAM increase over M2 Pro
- 17-hour battery life is outstanding for a pro laptop
- Excellent port selection with HDMI, SD card reader, and MagSafe
Cons
- $1999 starting price is steep for the base configuration
- 512 GB base SSD may fill quickly for creative professionals
- 1.61 kg is noticeably heavier than the MacBook Air
- Notch on display can interfere with certain menu bar apps
- macOS limits gaming compared to Windows laptops
HP OMEN 17
Pros
- Large 17.3-inch QHD 240Hz display is excellent for gaming
- RTX 4080 Laptop GPU handles AAA titles at high settings
- 24-core i9-13900HX excels at multitasking and content creation
- OMEN Tempest cooling keeps the machine relatively quiet
- Three USB-A ports provide legacy device compatibility
Cons
- 6.39 lbs and 15.7 inches wide — not portable at all
- 5-hour battery life is poor for non-gaming use
- 300-nit brightness is dim for a $1,799 gaming laptop
- Only one Thunderbolt 4 port
- Plastic components in the build feel less premium than all-aluminum rivals
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14" M3 Pro | HP OMEN 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Sonoma | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.61 kg | 6.39 lbs (2.90 kg) |
| Material | Aluminum unibody | Aluminum and plastic |
| Dimensions | 312.6 x 221.2 x 15.5 mm | 15.74 x 10.87 x 0.93 inches |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | |
| SD card | ||
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 3 | 1 |
| USB-A ports | — | 3 |
| USB-C ports | — | 1 |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 17 hours wireless web | Up to 5 hours |
| Capacity | 72.4 Wh | 83 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 14.2 inches | 17.3 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED | IPS anti-glare |
| Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 2560 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz ProMotion | 240Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1600 | 300 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB NVMe (configurable to 4 TB) | 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe (dual slot) |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Touch Bar | — | |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 18 GB unified | 32 GB DDR5 |
| Cores | 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU | 24 cores (8P + 16E) |
| Chipset | Apple M3 Pro | Intel Core i9-13900HX (13th Gen) |
Want to compare a third product?
Add another product for a 3-way comparison.
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
Explore more in laptops, see all Apple products or all HP products. View full details for the Apple MacBook Pro 14" M3 Pro or the HP OMEN 17.