If your priority is a higher-performing laptop with dedicated graphics for gaming, engineering tasks, and 3D or machine learning applications, the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 with its Nvidia graphics and AMD processor is a strong choice. However, its larger screen and higher weight compromise portability compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 13, which offers fanless operation that leads to silent use and longer battery life, making it more suitable for general use and on-the-go productivity. Both laptops are priced similarly, but the MacBook Pro comes with an excellent build quality and a slightly better screen for color accuracy, while the Lenovo has a touchscreen and offers higher storage and RAM. Both systems have a midrange price and do not feature an Ethernet port. The MacBook Pro operates on MacOS, and the Lenovo runs Windows 11 Home, which might influence your decision based on software compatibility for your specific use case. 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
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14
Very good for general use
Very good for content creation
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.4/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.5in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
334.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 for general use, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has a better screen for software development.
For general use, the MacBook Pro's high-resolution display and bright panel offer clear and vivid images, making it ideal for browsing, watching videos, and document editing. In engineering and design, its screen excels because of its wide color gamut coverage, ensuring accurate color representation for detailed and color-critical work. However, for 3D applications, the MacBook Pro's lower refresh rate may not be as smooth as specialized gaming laptops, which could hinder performance in fast-paced visual environments.
Battery
20.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has 12 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
6.7/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has an integrated GPU which is less powerful than dedicated graphics cards and a standard refresh rate, making it only fair for 3D applications and limiting its gaming capability, especially considering that many popular games aren't compatible with its MacOS.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
7.7/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is equipped with the efficient Apple M1 CPU integrated with its own GPU, offering good performance for engineering and design applications, also featuring a high-quality screen with wide color coverage but slightly less RAM and no option for an external GPU. In contrast, the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has a powerful AMD Ryzen processor paired with a dedicated Nvidia GPU, double the RAM, and a touchscreen with high refresh rate, improving multitasking and graphic processes, though it may sacrifice battery life and operates with more noise compared to the fanless MacBook Pro.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.0/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
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
7.8/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.5in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,249
$1,200
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 costs $1,200.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 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 Slim Pro 7 is an attractive, portable laptop that’s ideal if you need a combination of CPU and GPU performance. It also nails the fundamentals with solid connectivity, an enjoyable keyboard, a large touchpad, and top-notch webcam. Display quality is a weakness, but it’s an acceptable compromise for the laptop’s extremely competitive $1,199 MSRP. The Slim Pro 7 is a versatile, affordable laptop and hard to beat for the price."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14
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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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.