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Updated January 10, 2024·
When deciding between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the Razer Blade 14, consider your primary use. The MacBook Pro with its M1 Pro chip offers great performance for general tasks, creative work and has a longer battery life, suitable for those in the Apple ecosystem who prioritize a high-quality display and macOS environment. The Razer Blade 14, with its AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU, excels at gaming, engineering, and 3D rendering tasks, and is preferable for Windows users who need high-end graphics performance but it falls short in battery life. Both are similar in size and weight, making them reasonably portable, but the MacBook's battery life is superior if you're often on the go. If budget is a concern, the MacBook Pro tends to be slightly less expensive, while the Razer Blade offers double the storage capacity as a tradeoff for a higher price. 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 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 Razer Blade 14
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.8
7.9
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Razer Blade 14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in 3D tasks with its powerful Apple M1 Pro GPU and high-quality Mini LED display, but its MacOS may limit gaming options. The Razer Blade 14's Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and higher screen refresh rate make it well-suited for gaming and 3D applications, offering wide compatibility with popular games due to its Windows operating system.
Screen Quality
9.2
8.0
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
328.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Razer Blade 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Pro 14 boasts a high-resolution display with vibrant color accuracy, making it excellent for tasks requiring precise colors like engineering and design, but its refresh rate is lower, which is suboptimal for 3D applications that benefit from smoother motion. Razer Blade 14 offers a sharp, bright display that is capable for both general use and design work, but again, the lower refresh rate limits its effectiveness for gaming and 3D tasks where fluid visuals are critical. Both laptops excel in color representation and clarity for professional creative work, but neither is ideally suited for high-refresh-rate needs of serious 3D or gaming experiences.
Battery
13.5 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 14 has 9.5 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.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Razer Blade 14 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.4
8.1
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
328.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Razer Blade 14 are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)'s high-quality Mini LED screen, large battery capacity, and efficient Apple M1 Pro chip make it excellent for general use with long battery life and great portability, while the Razer Blade 14's powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU offer strong performance for heavier tasks but with a somewhat shorter battery life and slightly heavier build. Both laptops have high screen quality, ample RAM, and are well-regarded for keyboard and speaker quality, though the MacBook Pro leads in portability and battery life, which are very important for general use.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Razer Blade 14 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 due to its Apple M1 Pro CPU and GPU, superior screen quality with higher brightness and a Mini LED display, coupled with its excellent portability and keyboard quality. Conversely, the Razer Blade 14 offers robust performance with an AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU more suited for high-end graphics tasks, with a higher refresh rate screen and the addition of a dedicated GPU, but comes with a somewhat shorter battery life and is slightly less portable.
Content Creation
8.4
8.1
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Razer Blade 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.
Software Development
8.3
7.9
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) to be very good for software development, while the Razer Blade 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Razer Blade 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,905
$1,900
$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 Razer Blade 14 costs $1,900.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the Razer Blade 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) | Razer Blade 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,905 | $1,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 12.6'' x 8.7'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 3.92 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 12.59" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 8.66" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 Pro (8C) | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 13.5 Hours | 9.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 62 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 479 nits | 328 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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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."
Razer Blade 14
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NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"After making a huge splash with the original 2021 model, it's expected that the 2022 refresh would be more of a minor update to an already impressive machine. It adds a higher resolution webcam (720p to 1080p), faster CPU (Ryzen 9 5900HX to Ryzen 9 6900HX), faster GPU (RTX 3070/3080 to 3070/3080 Ti), faster RAM (DDR4-3200 to DDR5-4800), faster M.2 SSD support (PCIe3 x4 to PCIe4 x4), newer WLAN module (Killer AX1690i to Qualcomm WCN685x), and a MUX switch for the new integrated Radeon 680M GPU. It's indubitably an upgrade especially in terms of single-thread processor performance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the Razer Blade 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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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