If you value a sleek design, long battery life, and a lightweight form factor for easy portability, the MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is an excellent choice, especially for general use and media consumption. However, if your needs are more focused on gaming, 3D rendering, or intensive engineering software, the MSI GP66 Leopard, with its powerful hardware, would serve you better, despite being heavier and having a shorter battery life. The tradeoff here is between the MacBook's portability and battery against the MSI's superior performance for specialized tasks. Keep in mind the difference in operating systems between macOS and Windows, as this could influence the availability and performance of certain software you need. 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 MSI GP66 Leopard
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
7.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is less suitable for 3D applications and gaming due to its integrated Apple M1 GPU and a 60Hz screen refresh rate, whereas the MSI GP66 Leopard excels in those areas with a high-performance Nvidia RTX 3080 and a 144Hz screen refresh rate. Moreover, MacBook's MacOS does not support many popular games, while the MSI's Windows-based system does, further enhancing its gaming capabilities.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
7.9/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI GP66 Leopard is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is geared towards design and engineering due to its high-quality screen, efficient Apple M1 CPU and GPU that handle tasks silently with a long battery life, offering excellent portability and keyboard quality.
Software Development
7.8/10
7.2/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is somewhat better.
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
7.6/10
7.5/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the MSI GP66 Leopard for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a high-resolution screen with bright, vibrant colors that make everyday tasks more enjoyable and detailed, making it excellent for general use and design work where color accuracy, such as DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, is crucial. However, it lacks a high refresh rate, which is essential for 3D applications and gaming, to offer smoother motion rendering. Meanwhile, the MSI GP66 Leopard, with a good resolution and decent brightness, provides a satisfying experience for general and engineering purposes but falls short for gaming and 3D due to a less optimal refresh rate.
Battery
20.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 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
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is suitable for general use due to its exceptional battery life, high-quality retina display with a high screen resolution, lightweight design, and silent operation, making it highly portable and convenient for everyday tasks.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.4/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and MSI GP66 Leopard 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the MSI GP66 Leopard 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 MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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