Is it? I mean, compared to some laptops where I explicitly was not interested in paying extra for audio, sure. Especially with them being older than "standard" presence of audio coprocessor on board.
Compared to the two new-ish AMD laptops? For the rare use case that warrants using built in speakers and mic, I see no real difference. Maybe latest macs are better, but... Usually the only use of built in speakers and mic are as last chance backup, or watching movies in bad conditions. Otherwise it's always a proper headset or standalone speakers
Yes, it is. Please name a windows laptop with great speakers and mics.
It’s night and day.
Mind you, I haven't used Macs since last intel ones, but my current workhorse of Zephyrus 14 2023 has at least comparable mics to last intel 15" and 16", and better speakers. T14g5 AMD I have from one contract has slightly worse speakers than that but comparable to the Macbooks I used (if not slightly better, the Zephyrus just has a whole grade higher amplifier setup with 4 speakers). And doesn't vary sound based on where it's placed :V
I haven't bought for built-in sound quality in the past (or ever, it's backup's backup after all), but I do remember lots of laptops offered with Harman-Kardon sound system, including hardware implementation of the dynamic compensation system in M-series Macbooks. Except also usually with way beefier speakers. Microphone arrays came in later arguably, but that is more correlated with availability of audio coprocessors - T470 had not great twin mic (mac was better there), but new ones easily handle it beyond my needs.
Way above "last choice backup solution" that "built in speakers and mic" are used for by me.