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Updated March 21, 2024·
When comparing the Apple MacBook Pro and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, consider whether you favor a seamless experience with other Apple products and a high-resolution Retina display (MacBook Pro) or if you need a laptop with a variety of ports and the flexibility of the Windows operating system (ThinkPad T14). The MacBook Pro typically offers longer battery life and is known for its build quality, whereas the ThinkPad might offer more customization options like additional RAM or storage. ThinkPads are also well-regarded for their keyboard quality and durability, making them a favorite for business professionals. 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)
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
Key differences
General Use
7.7
8.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 offers a high-quality screen, a powerful CPU, and is known for its long battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go use and performance-driven tasks, yet its portability is balanced with a premium build that may increase the price. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 delivers solid performance with ample RAM for multitasking and has a reputation for robustness and excellent keyboard quality, ideal for lengthy typing sessions and heavy office work, but can be heavier and bulkier, making it less portable.
Engineering and Design
7.3
8.0
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13, with its solid CPU and high-resolution screen, excels in tasks requiring graphics processing and provides a smooth software experience for engineering software, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14's strong build quality, reliable keyboard, and ample RAM make it suitable for multitasking and long coding sessions. The MacBook is known for its sleek design and portability, whereas the ThinkPad offers robustness and a keyboard that's comfortable for extended use, even if it's slightly heavier and bulkier.
Software Development
7.8
8.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
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.
Screen Quality
7.6
6.9
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 for general use, AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro's high-resolution screen and exceptional brightness, along with its wide color gamut that includes DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, provide crisp images and accurate colors crucial for general use and engineering tasks but lacks a high refresh rate needed for smooth 3D rendering. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 offers a good balance of resolution and brightness, with competent color representation for everyday work and professional design, although it doesn't prioritize the high refresh rates that gamers and 3D designers seek. Thus, the MacBook Pro excels in visually-intensive professional tasks, while the ThinkPad T14 meets general standards across the board yet falls short for specialized 3D work.
Battery
20.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has 9 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
8.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.7
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13, while capable for 3D tasks due to its robust CPU and high-quality screen, is limited in gaming performance by its less powerful integrated GPU and the macOS ecosystem that doesn't support many popular games. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, with a potentially superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate on certain models, offers better gaming experience and 3D performance but may lag slightly behind in screen quality compared to the MacBook Pro.
Content Creation
7.8
8.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,249
$1,241
$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 ThinkPad T14 costs $1,241.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) | Lenovo ThinkPad T14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,249 | $1,241 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | 12.5'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3 lbs | 2.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 12.51" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 8.93" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 20 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58.2 Wh | 39.3 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | 321 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2022
"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."
Lenovo ThinkPad T14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | December 2023
"We like a lot about this laptop. It has many ports, with the inclusion of RJ45-Ethernet as a defining feature. WWAN is upgradable for maximum flexibility and the ThinkPad has many security functions. Working with the ThinkPad input devices is a lot of fun, and Lenovo puts in a serviceable Low Power panel. The AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U delivers a great performance and does not drain the battery fast. Fan noise and temperatures are nothing special, but also far away from bad. With the user replaceable keyboard, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a special feature rarely present on most modern laptops."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
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.
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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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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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