Apple MacBook Pro 14" M3 vs HP Pavilion Plus 14 (2024)
Side-by-side specifications, scores and verdict.
Quick Verdict
Apple's MacBook Pro 14" M3 delivers superior performance and display technology at a premium price point, featuring the exceptional Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display with 1600 nits brightness and ProMotion 120Hz smoothness. Battery life reaches 17 hours of wireless web use, supported by the efficient M3 chip with unified memory architecture. However, the 8GB RAM and non-expandable 512GB storage are constraining for the $1599 price. HP's Pavilion Plus 14 counters with a vibrant OLED display, faster 16GB RAM, expandable storage, and Intel's capable Core Ultra 5 processor at half the cost. While offering only 10-hour battery life and dimmer 400-nit OLED panel, the Pavilion Plus provides genuine expansion options and Windows 11 flexibility. For creative professionals prioritizing display quality and battery longevity, the MacBook Pro justifies its investment. Content creators on budgets or those preferring Windows should strongly consider the HP's superior value proposition and practical expandability.
Full Specifications
| Specification | Apple MacBook Pro 14" M3 | HP Pavilion Plus 14 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Sonoma | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.55 kg | 1.41 kg |
| Material | Aluminum unibody | Aluminum |
| Dimensions | 312.6 x 221.2 x 15.5 mm | 313.5 x 224 x 16.9 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | 1 |
| SD card | ||
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 3 | 1 |
| USB-A ports | — | 2 |
| USB-C ports | — | 2 |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 17 hours wireless web | Up to 10 hours |
| Capacity | 72.4 Wh | 51 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 14.2 inches | 14 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED | OLED |
| Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 2880 x 1800 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz ProMotion | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1600 | 400 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB NVMe | 512 GB |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Touch Bar | — | |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 8 GB unified | 16 GB LPDDR5X |
| Cores | 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU | 14 cores |
| Chipset | Apple M3 | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H |
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Pro 14" M3
Pros
- Full ProMotion mini-LED XDR display at the $1599 entry tier
- Excellent 17-hour battery life for a 14-inch machine
- Compact and portable at 1.55 kg
- Three Thunderbolt 4 ports plus HDMI and SD card
- Silent under light-to-moderate workloads
Cons
- 8 GB base RAM is restrictive for demanding tasks
- Storage upgrades carry a steep Apple premium
- M3 GPU struggles with heavy 3D workloads compared to Pro/Max
- Notch in display polarises opinions
HP Pavilion Plus 14 (2024)
Pros
- OLED 2.8K 120Hz display at a mid-range price
- Lightweight aluminum chassis under 1.5 kg
- Strong Intel Core Ultra performance with NPU
- Solid port selection including HDMI and USB-A
Cons
- Smaller 51 Wh battery limits all-day use
- Webcam quality is mediocre at 5 MP
- Speakers lack bass and overall richness
- Only one Thunderbolt-capable port
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