The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is a more portable option with longer battery life, well-suited for general use and has a higher build quality and heat management. The MSI Creator Z16P, with a more powerful Intel processor and Nvidia graphics, excels in 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering applications and also includes a touchscreen. Both have similar display quality and screen size, but the MSI offers a superior gaming experience. Consider the MacBook Pro for its portability and quiet operation, or the MSI if you need high performance for demanding creative tasks or gaming, despite its heavier weight and shorter battery life. 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 MSI Creator Z16P
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
7.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is only fair.
The MacBook Pro 13 has an integrated Apple M2 GPU which is less powerful compared to dedicated GPUs, leading to only fair performance for 3D tasks, while the MSI Creator Z16P's Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and higher screen refresh rate provide good performance in gaming and 3D applications; furthermore, the macOS on the MacBook may limit game compatibility, as many popular games do not run on Macs, which is not an issue for the MSI Creator Z16P with Windows 11 Pro.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
The MacBook Pro 13 (2022) with its M2 CPU and GPU offers a more portable and silent operation, which is valuable for those who need to work on the go or in quiet environments, but it has lower storage and memory compared to the MSI Creator Z16P.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
8.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for general use, and gaming and AI.
The MacBook Pro 13, with its high-resolution Retina display and bright screen, excels in providing crisp visuals for everyday tasks, and its wide color gamut makes it an excellent choice for engineering and design, ensuring accurate color representation. The MSI Creator Z16P also offers a high-resolution screen with superior color accuracy, making it ideal for design professionals who need precise color fidelity for their work. However, when it comes to 3D applications, both laptops have screens with lower refresh rates, which could lead to less fluid motion and a subpar experience compared to displays designed specifically for gaming or 3D rendering that generally offer higher refresh rates for smoother visuals.
Battery
20.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P 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
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has very good portability, while the MSI Creator Z16P has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Creator Z16P 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
$1,699
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,699.
The MSI Creator Z16P and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is favored for general use due to its impressive combination of strong CPU performance, sufficient RAM, high-quality screen, long battery life, and high level of portability, making it suitable for a range of everyday tasks. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P, while also good for general use, offers superior CPU and graphics power, more RAM, and a larger high-quality screen but at the expense of portability and battery life, positioning it as a more specialized tool for demanding creative or engineering work.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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.
Software Development
7.8/10
7.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and MSI Creator Z16P 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and the MSI Creator Z16P 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."
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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