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Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
This configuration is out of stock.
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024· Prices updated 24 hours ago
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) provides a high-quality Mini LED display, better battery life, and a lightweight design, making it suitable for demanding tasks like 3D rendering and engineering while offering great portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro, which is significantly more affordable, has a dedicated graphics card with hardware ray tracing, making it better for gaming and some types of 3D work but with a lower screen color quality and less battery life. Give Feedback
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.5
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) outshines the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro in terms of portability and battery life, making it better for general use with its lighter build and longer-lasting battery. While both have high-quality screens and ample CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, the Apple model offers a superior screen with a Mini LED display for more vibrant colors, and top-rated keyboard and speaker quality, enhancing the overall user experience.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.2
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in engineering and design due to its high-performance CPU and GPU, superior mini LED screen for better color accuracy, and excellent build that integrates high-quality speakers and keyboard, though at the expense of being less portable than some other options. In comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro, while also good for such tasks with a robust CPU and capable GPU, offers a lesser screen quality and lower speaker and keyboard quality, but it compensates with a slightly larger screen and is more amenable to upgrades, like increasing RAM.
Content Creation
8.4
7.5
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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
8.3
7.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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
9.2
7.8
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers a high-resolution display and exceptional brightness, coupled with wide color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which delivers vivid and accurate colors essential for engineering and design tasks. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro provides a commendable balance between resolution and brightness that suits most general use and design needs, but it may lack the higher color accuracy and range of the MacBook. However, for activities like gaming and 3D rendering, a laptop with a high refresh rate is preferable, which neither of these laptops prioritize, resulting in a less optimal experience for those specific uses.
Battery
13.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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
Good
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.6
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$860
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro costs $860.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.8
6.5
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is equipped with an Apple M1 Pro GPU that supports high-fidelity 3D tasks and has a high refresh rate display, making it suitable for smooth 3D rendering, but it runs MacOS, which limits game compatibility. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, which excels in gaming and is compatible with a wider variety of games due to its Windows operating system, although its performance in 3D tasks is not as strong as that of the MacBook Pro.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro compare to other laptops
VS
General Use Score
Price
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
A
B
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) (Apple M1 Pro (8C CPU, 14C GPU), 16 GB | 512 GB)
- General Use Score: 8.4
$1,905
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) | Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,905 | $860 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 4.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 9.88" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 Pro (8C) | AMD Ryzen 5 6600HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 13.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 479 nits | 409 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | September 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro turns out a successful all-rounder that, aside from 3D applications, always strikes a good or very good figure. This begins with the elegant metal case that isn't particularly light but fairly robust, giving a high-quality impression. The input devices are also better than those of many competitors. Both the keyboard and the touchpad are attractive and comfortable. In addition, the performance of the Ryzen 5 6600HS is easily able to keep up with the Intel competitors."
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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.
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Recommendations made
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About the laptop team
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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
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.
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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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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.