The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) commands a higher price but offers superior build quality, speaker performance, and display quality, boasting more vibrant colors and higher brightness. It's ideal for creative professionals seeking powerful GPU performance for video editing or design work. The Lenovo Slim 7 Pro is less expensive with a better price-to-storage ratio, featuring double the storage space of the MacBook. Despite its touch screen and dedicated Nvidia graphics, the Lenovo falls short in display color accuracy and build. It’s a strong choice for diverse Windows applications and gaming, with hardware ray tracing support. Both laptops weigh the same and have similar battery life, but the MacBook has a longer battery life for typical usage. If your work revolves around MacOS-specific software or you value a high-quality screen and speakers, favor the MacBook Pro. Conversely, opt for the Lenovo if cost-effective storage, gaming, and a touch screen are priorities. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in engineering and design due to its powerful Apple M1 Pro CPU and GPU combination, high screen pixel density with Mini LED technology, and superior scores in keyboard and build quality, although with a higher operating noise. In contrast, the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14, while offering a good CPU and a discrete Nvidia GPU, provides a lower screen pixel quality and slightly inferior keyboard quality, but benefits from a quieter operation.
Software Development
8.3/10
7.8/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 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
9.2/10
7.4/10
14.2in
SIZE
14.5in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
334.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 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, which, along with its wide color gamut, makes it ideal for general use and engineering tasks, providing crisp detail and accurate colors vital for design work. However, its standard refresh rate is less suited for 3D applications, where smoother motions are crucial for an optimal experience. On the other hand, the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 provides a balanced screen quality with decent resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and engineering, but it lacks the higher refresh rate required for a seamless gaming and 3D visualization experience.
Battery
13.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$1,200
$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 Slim Pro 7 14 costs $1,200.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in general use due to its high-quality Mini LED screen, efficient Apple M1 Pro processor, and long battery life, combined with a lightweight design that ensures portability. Conversely, the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 also suits general use with its ample storage, AMD Ryzen processor alongside an Nvidia RTX GPU, and a high-resolution IPS touchscreen, but it offsets these benefits with slightly less battery life and lower portability compared to the MacBook Pro.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
6.7/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 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.
Content Creation
8.4/10
8.0/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
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) and Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 are both very 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.2in
SIZE
14.5in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 is an attractive, portable laptop that’s ideal if you need a combination of CPU and GPU performance. It also nails the fundamentals with solid connectivity, an enjoyable keyboard, a large touchpad, and top-notch webcam. Display quality is a weakness, but it’s an acceptable compromise for the laptop’s extremely competitive $1,199 MSRP. The Slim Pro 7 is a versatile, affordable laptop and hard to beat for the price."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14
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.
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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
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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.