Apple MacBook Pro 16" M2 Pro vs HP OMEN 17
The Verdict
MacBook Pro 16" M2 Pro and HP OMEN 17 serve distinctly different use cases. Apple's machine excels with its exceptional 1600-nit Liquid Retina XDR display, 120Hz ProMotion, and M2 Pro's efficient architecture delivering up to 22 hours of battery life. The aluminum unibody feels premium and weighs just 2.14 kg, making it genuinely portable. However, the 512GB base storage feels restrictive at this price point. HP's OMEN 17 prioritizes raw performance and value, offering a 24-core Intel Core i9-13900HX, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB SSD standard for $700 less. Its 240Hz IPS display caters to competitive gaming and creative workflows, though the 300-nit brightness and heavier 2.90kg build suit stationary use better. Battery life trails significantly at 5 hours versus 22 hours. For creative professionals valuing portability, color accuracy, and all-day battery, the MacBook Pro dominates. For gamers, content creators needing maximum CPU cores, and budget-conscious users, OMEN 17 delivers superior specs per dollar. These are genuinely different products: the MacBook prioritizes efficiency and display quality, while HP emphasizes raw performance and expandability.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple MacBook Pro 16" M2 Pro if…
- →Outstanding 22-hour battery life for a 16-inch professional laptop
- →Stunning Liquid Retina XDR display with 1600-nit HDR peak brightness
- →M2 Pro handles demanding creative workloads like 4K video editing
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 16" M2 Pro
Pros
- Outstanding 22-hour battery life for a 16-inch professional laptop
- Stunning Liquid Retina XDR display with 1600-nit HDR peak brightness
- M2 Pro handles demanding creative workloads like 4K video editing
- Excellent port selection including HDMI, SD card, and MagSafe
- Fantastic six-speaker sound system with spatial audio
Cons
- Heavy at 2.14 kg — not ideal for frequent travel
- 16 GB base RAM should be 32 GB at $2499
- M3 Pro lineup arrived months later making this a short-lived generation
- macOS limits gaming compared to Windows alternatives
- No Face ID — relies on Touch ID in the keyboard
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 16" M2 Pro | HP OMEN 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Ventura | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 2.14 kg | 6.39 lbs (2.90 kg) |
| Material | Aluminum unibody | Aluminum and plastic |
| Dimensions | 355.7 x 248.1 x 16.8 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 22 hours wireless web | Up to 5 hours |
| Capacity | 100 Wh | 83 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 16.2 inches | 17.3 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED | IPS anti-glare |
| Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 2560 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz ProMotion | 240Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1600 | 300 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB NVMe (configurable to 8 TB) | 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe (dual slot) |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Touch Bar | — | |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB unified | 32 GB DDR5 |
| Cores | 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU | 24 cores (8P + 16E) |
| Chipset | Apple M2 Pro | Intel Core i9-13900HX (13th Gen) |
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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.
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