If you need a laptop that's great for general use with long battery life, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is a solid choice as it offers impressive build quality and silent operation. However, it's priced higher and may not be as suitable for applications requiring a touchscreen or Windows-specific software. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s offers more storage and memory at a lower cost, with touch capability and a full Windows 11 Pro experience, making it better for varied office work, though it may have reduced battery life and is not as quiet or lightweight as the MacBook Pro. For engineering tasks or more intensive 3D rendering, both may suit basic to moderate needs, but neither is tailored for high-end gaming or specialized engineering software that demands top-tier hardware performance. 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
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
Excellent portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.2/10
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s for general use, AI, and engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a high-resolution display and excellent brightness, making it sharp and easy to view for general use, while its wide color gamut ensures accurate colors for engineering and design tasks; however, it lacks a high refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth visuals in 3D applications. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s' screen also provides good resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, and it's suitable for engineering and design with a decent coverage of professional color spaces, but like the MacBook, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to a standard refresh rate. Color accuracy and fidelity are critical for professionals in engineering and design, which both laptops can deliver, but serious 3D designers and gamers would need a laptop with a screen that supports higher refresh rates for smoother motion.
Battery
20.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has 8 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
10.0/10
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,219
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s costs $1,000.
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s are both lauded for general use due to their efficient processors, ample RAM, and high-quality IPS screens with similar resolutions and aspect ratios, which contribute to clear and vibrant displays. While the MacBook Pro offers a silent operation and longer battery life, making it highly portable and suitable for long hours of usage, the ThinkBook 13s provides a touchscreen, more storage, an extra RAM slot for expandability, and multiple ports, offering greater versatility and connectivity options.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is considered fair for 3D due to its integrated Apple M2 graphics, which provide decent performance but are not designed for high-end gaming or complex 3D tasks, and macOS may limit the availability of popular games.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
7.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) with its Apple M2 CPU and GPU is well-suited for tasks that require high screen quality and silent operation, beneficial for design work, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s leverages its Intel i7 processor with Iris Xe graphics and more RAM to handle engineering software more smoothly, as well as a touchscreen for interactive designs. Both laptops offer solid build quality and portability, with the MacBook Pro providing slightly better battery life and the ThinkBook 13s offering a better keyboard and additional storage.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.8/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
7.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkBook 13s to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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 best thing about the ThinkBook 13S is that it’s a good deal. Business buyers looking for ThinkPad-level performance and software without ThinkPad pricing will probably find the ThinkBook a solid option. While nothing about it is really spectacular, it’s certainly unusual to see the ThinkBook’s screen resolution at a sub-$1,000 price, and its performance will be more than adequate for most office tasks. The generous port selection, 16:10 aspect ratio, physical webcam shutter, and clear audio are certainly icing on the cake."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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
103,095
Recommendations made
22,338
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.