The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is generally more expensive yet offers a powerful Apple M1 Pro processor with integrated graphics suitable for general use and creative tasks, provides a long battery life, and has a high brightness and color-accurate mini LED display, but it lacks a touchscreen and is heavier. The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is typically less expensive and comes with a larger storage capacity, more RAM, a high-resolution mini LED touchscreen, and a dedicated Nvidia graphics card which makes it a better choice for engineering, 3D modeling, and gaming, but it has a shorter battery life and is slightly heavier. If portability and macOS are priorities, consider the MacBook; if you need a Windows laptop with high performance for specialized tasks and gaming, the Lenovo might be the better fit. 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 14 (2021)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
Good for gaming and AI
Best in class overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
7.6/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 with its M1 Pro GPU has a high-quality screen that's suitable for 3D work, but due to MacOS limitations, popular games may not be supported, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i boasts an Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU which can handle both gaming and 3D applications, supplemented by a higher screen refresh rate making it better for fast-paced gaming.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
8.9/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design, though the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is somewhat better.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i boasts superior computing and graphics capabilities with a higher-resolution touchscreen display that enhances engineering and design work, complemented by a substantial amount of RAM for multitasking. Although the Apple MacBook Pro 14 is equipped with a powerful in-house CPU and a high-quality Mini LED screen, its performance components, such as the GPU, are less capable compared to the Lenovo, which might impact more demanding engineering applications.
Screen Quality
9.2/10
9.6/10
14.2in
SIZE
14.5in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
618.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 14 for general use, and gaming and AI.
For general use, both the Apple MacBook Pro and the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i boast high-resolution displays with excellent brightness and clarity, making them ideal for everyday tasks like browsing, document editing, and media consumption. Engineers and designers will appreciate the wide color gamuts on these laptops, providing accurate color representation essential for professional graphic work. However, when it comes to 3D applications or gaming, their screens fall short due to lower refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth motion and responsiveness compared to specialized gaming laptops.
Battery
13.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has 6 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
14.5in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$1,500
$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 9i costs $1,500.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) with its M1 Pro chip and long battery life excels in general use, providing a seamlessly smooth experience, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i, with its high-end Intel processor and ample RAM, ensures powerful performance for demanding tasks, albeit with a shorter battery life. Both laptops have high-quality screens and are portable, but the MacBook's screen is slightly brighter and its superior battery life makes it especially suitable for mobile users who need to work away from power outlets for extended periods.
Content Creation
8.4/10
8.5/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) 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.
Software Development
8.3/10
8.3/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very 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 14 (2021) and the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i 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 9i is an impressive laptop with a brilliant Mini-LED display, a powerful 100-watt version of Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, and excellent connectivity. Having run the Cinebench benchmark again, we were impressed with the CPU performance. That makes the Slim Pro 9i is an easy recommendation, especially for those who care about GPU and CPU performance. It’s also a fantastic choice if you frequently view HDR movies and games on your laptop."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
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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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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