The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is generally more expensive and offers high build quality, a brighter screen with better color accuracy, and longer battery life, making it suitable for professionals needing reliable performance and a high-quality display. It also has silent, fanless operation due to the Apple M1 chip. On the other hand, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is usually less expensive with a larger screen and includes a touchscreen, which might be more suitable for design work and media consumption. However, the MacBook Pro's MacOS could be a deciding factor if specific software compatibility is a concern, while the Lenovo's Windows 11 might be more versatile for a wider range of software options. Additionally, the Lenovo's extra ports and upgradable hardware make it a potentially more flexible choice. If budget is of paramount concern, performance requirements are moderate, and touch functionality is desired, the Lenovo could be the better option. Otherwise, for premium build quality, display excellence, and battery life, the MacBook is a stronger contender. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 16
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020).
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo Flex 5 16 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) with its high-resolution Retina display and bright, color-accurate screen is excellent for general use and engineering tasks, where detailed visuals and accurate color representation are crucial. However, its typical 60Hz refresh rate is not ideal for 3D applications, where a higher refresh rate can provide a smoother experience. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers a decent resolution and satisfactory color accuracy for both general and engineering use, but like the MacBook, it's not tailored for 3D or gaming due to its standard refresh rate, making it less suitable for tasks where fluid motion is key.
Battery
20.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$779
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $779.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is lauded for general use because of its strong CPU and high-quality screen, which together with a solid battery life and lightweight design make it highly portable, whereas the Lenovo Flex 5 16 stands out with its larger screen and additional RAM, which supports multitasking, along with a versatile 2-in-1 design and a respectable battery life, though it is slightly heavier.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
6.2/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
7.2/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020), with its Apple M1 CPU and GPU, is designed for optimal performance in engineering applications and high color accuracy for design tasks, benefitting from a longer battery life and silent operation. In comparison, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers more RAM and a higher-powered Intel CPU with integrated Iris Xe graphics, alongside a touchscreen and convertible form factor, at the expense of shorter battery life and reduced portability.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.6/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.8/10
7.5/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 compare to other laptops
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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