The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) tends to be more expensive and offers a premium experience with its Mini LED display, high brightness, and extensive color coverage, making it suitable for creatives needing color accuracy and general use with its long battery life and MacOS ecosystem. The MacBook is lighter and thinner, thus more portable, with a high build quality and good heat management. On the other hand, the MSI Creator Z16P provides a larger screen, touch capability, and a more powerful GPU like the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti, which, alongside its Intel i9 processor, makes it a better choice for intensive 3D tasks, machine learning, and gaming despite its heavier build and lower battery life. The MSI also offers a higher storage capacity and is more oriented towards Windows users with needs for specialized software in engineering and content creation. 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)
Very good for general use
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 MSI Creator Z16P
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the MSI Creator Z16P is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is favored for general use thanks to its strong CPU and GPU combination, high-quality Mini LED screen, and above-average battery life, all packaged in a lightweight and portable frame. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P, while also having a strong CPU and capable GPU, offers a larger touch-enabled screen and double the storage but is less portable due to its higher weight and bulk, and its battery life is notably shorter compared to the MacBook Pro.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
7.6/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
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.
Software Development
8.3/10
7.6/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
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 MSI Creator Z16P 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
8.3/10
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Creator Z16P for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14's screen offers a high resolution and brightness, along with robust color representation, making it an excellent choice for general use and engineering tasks that require accurate color work. However, its standard refresh rate limits its appeal for 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial. The MSI Creator Z16P provides similar benefits in terms of resolution and color accuracy for general use and professional design, but similarly falls short in refresh rate, which is less desirable for gaming and 3D rendering that relies on fast screen updates for a seamless experience.
Battery
13.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) 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 14 (2021) 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
$1,905
$1,300
$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 MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
The MSI Creator Z16P and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) with its Apple M1 Pro chip and integrated GPU is ideal for engineering because of its high screen quality and efficient performance, while the MSI Creator Z16P's powerful Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU makes it excellent for demanding design tasks. However, the MacBook Pro offers better portability and longer battery life which is important for users on the go, in contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P, with its larger screen and higher graphics power, may appeal more to those prioritizing performance over mobility.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.9/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Creator Z16P 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the MSI Creator Z16P 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."
"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 14 (2021) 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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