The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) with its M2 chip offers good balance for general use and provides a highly portable option with long battery life, suitable if you prefer macOS and a lighter device for everyday carry. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, though heavier and with a shorter battery life, provides more power with Intel i7 and Nvidia RTX graphics which are preferable for demanding engineering tasks, 3D work, or machine learning projects; it is also equipped with a larger, higher-resolution screen and runs on Windows 11 Pro which might be required for certain software. 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 (2022)
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 ThinkPad P16
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
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) with its M2 chip is suitable for engineering and design with good CPU and GPU performance, while its high-resolution color-accurate screen benefits design work, and its lightweight form factor enhances portability.
Software Development
7.8/10
8.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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
8.2/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 offer crisp, clear displays with high resolution and brightness, making text, images, and videos look sharp and vibrant for everyday tasks. In engineering and design, both laptops provide wide color gamuts, ensuring that designers and engineers see accurate and consistent colors, which is crucial for their work. However, for 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, resulting in less smooth motion which is not ideal for fast-paced 3D rendering or gaming that benefits from quicker screen updates.
Battery
20.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has 10 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
Poor
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has very good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,219
$1,449
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 costs $1,449.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad P16 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) provides strong performance for general use with its efficient M2 chip and high screen quality, coupled with excellent portability due to its lighter weight and longer battery life, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, with a more powerful Intel CPU and superior RAM, excels in heavy-duty tasks, featured with a high-resolution screen and a robust keyboard, but it trades off with less portability and shorter battery life. Both laptops offer high-quality screens and keyboards but differ in their suitability for portability and endurance versus performance for more demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) with its integrated Apple M2 GPU is fair for 3D use and its MacOS can limit gaming options, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, equipped with a dedicated Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU and running Windows 11 Pro, offers better performance for gaming and stronger 3D capabilities. Both have the same screen refresh rate, but the ThinkPad's better GPU and compatibility with a wider range of games make it more suitable for these purposes.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad P16 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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."
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) or the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
116,295
Recommendations made
25,198
Consumer hours saved
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
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
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.