Choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the MSI Prestige 16 depends on your priorities. The MacBook Pro offers a high-quality display with better brightness and color accuracy, making it ideal for creative professionals. It runs MacOS and has a longer battery life, suitable for those invested in the Apple ecosystem or needing a machine that lasts longer on the go. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 16 offers more storage and memory, which can be beneficial for multitasking and complex tasks. Additionally, the MSI runs on Windows 11 Pro and provides more ports, which might be better for compatibility with a wider range of software and peripherals. However, the MacBook Pro seems to have better build quality and may offer a more premium experience. If budget is a constraint and you prioritize flexibility and power over OS and display quality, the MSI Prestige 16 may be the better option, despite the MacBook's higher price and stronger performance in certain areas.
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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 Prestige 16
The MSI Prestige 16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
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
400.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 boasts a high-resolution display, notable for its superior brightness and panel quality, providing crisp visuals for everyday tasks and detailed work in engineering and design due to its wide color gamuts. However, its refresh rate is lower compared to gaming-specific laptops, making it less ideal for 3D applications that benefit from smoother motion. The MSI Prestige 16 also delivers sharp images and covers a broad spectrum of colors for professional creative work, but its screen isn't optimized for the high refresh rates required for the smoothest gaming and 3D rendering experiences.
Battery
13.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 has 7.5 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
4.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the MSI Prestige 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Prestige 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$1,611
$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 Prestige 16 costs $1,611.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and MSI Prestige 16 are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) offers a high-quality mini LED screen, a powerful in-house CPU and GPU, outstanding keyboard and speaker quality, and excellent heat management, making it well-suited for general use, especially with its longer battery life. The MSI Prestige 16, on the other hand, provides more RAM and storage, a large IPS display, and good performance for general tasks, but it has less battery life and is slightly heavier.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
6.7/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and MSI Prestige 16 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.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
8.2/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in engineering and design use with a strong CPU and GPU combo specific to Apple, ample RAM, and a high-quality Mini LED screen. The MSI Prestige 16, while slightly less portable, offers a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a larger, high-refresh-rate IPS display for similar uses, along with a generous amount of fast storage.
Content Creation
8.4/10
8.3/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and MSI Prestige 16 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
8.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and MSI Prestige 16 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 MSI Prestige 16 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 MSI Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the MSI Prestige 16
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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