Considering your budget and the provided laptop options, the choice between the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo largely depends on your needs and preferences. The MacBook Pro typically offers a robust build quality, a user-friendly operating system, and long battery life, which makes it suitable for general use, media consumption, and productivity tasks. However, its performance may not match that of the MSI Prestige for more demanding applications like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming due to the MacBook's integrated graphics. The MSI Prestige, on the other hand, is likely to offer higher performance capabilities especially for engineering and creative software, thanks to its dedicated graphics and more powerful processors, but this can come at the cost of reduced battery life and increased weight, making it less portable. Therefore, if you prioritize performance for intensive tasks and are okay with a bulkier laptop, the MSI might be the better option. However, if you value portability, battery life, and prefer macOS, the MacBook Pro could serve you well. 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 Prestige 16 AI Evo
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
8.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is 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.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.4/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.6/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is 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
8.5/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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
7.6/10
8.4/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Apple MacBook Pro 13's screen provides crisp images and bright colors due to its high resolution and quality panel, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo also offers similar qualities making both suitable for everyday tasks. In engineering and design, the MacBook Pro's coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB ensures that colors are accurate and vibrant, which is crucial for precision work, and MSI Prestige's screen excels here as well, providing excellent color fidelity. However, the lower refresh rate on both the MacBook Pro and the MSI Prestige means they may not be ideal for 3D work, which often requires faster refresh rates for smooth rendering of moving images.
Battery
20.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$1,349
$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 MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo costs $1,349.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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 Prestige 16 AI Evo is meant to be a business-focused laptop, but it ends up being the MacBook challenger PC laptop enthusiasts have longed for. Not only can it meet and, in many cases, surpass the M2-powered MacBooks, but it is also surpassing the baseline M3 MacBooks, which is a giant leap forward for Intel-powered laptops. This isn’t hyperbole; this is what the numbers show."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
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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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.
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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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