Updated January 10, 2024·Prices updated 24 hours ago
If you prioritize performance for tasks like video editing or coding, the MacBook Pro with its M1 Pro chip is superior; however, it is less affordable and heavier, affecting portability. The Razer Book 13, being more budget-friendly and lighter, offers a touchscreen and better portability, but is not as performant for intensive tasks. The MacBook Pro has a longer battery life and higher quality display with Mini LED technology, but if you prefer or need Windows and a touchscreen, the Razer Book is the way to go. Consider your budget, need for portability, and whether your tasks are more general or intensive when making your decision. 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 engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Razer Book 13
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
14.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the Razer Book 13 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is equipped with a powerful M1 Pro chip, superior screen quality with a Mini LED display, and earns high marks for its keyboard, speakers, and build design, making it very suitable for a range of general use cases; meanwhile, the Razer Book 13, also with strong build quality and a good keyboard, offers a competitive Intel i7 chip and a touch-enabled IPS screen but has lesser color coverage and contrast ratio, thus is good for general use but not as optimal as the MacBook for visual tasks. Despite both laptops having comparably good portability and battery life, the MacBook Pro leads in overall performance and user experience, reflected in its higher assessments for portability, keyboard quality, speaker quality, and heat management.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
6.2/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Razer Book 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is equipped with a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which are very important for 3D work and offer a smoother visual experience, but the Razer Book 13 falls short in these areas, making it only fair for gaming and 3D applications; additionally, the MacBook's macOS may not support many popular games which are tailored for Windows systems like that of the Razer Book.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Razer Book 13 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in engineering and design due to its superior CPU and GPU, which are crucial for demanding tasks, coupled with an excellent screen quality that features Mini LED technology for better color reproduction and contrast. The Razer Book 13, while also good for engineering and design with a capable Intel CPU and Iris Xe graphics, has an IPS screen with lower color accuracy and contrast, making it less ideal for color-critical work, though it is lighter, enhancing its portability.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.6/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the Razer Book 13 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.
Software Development
8.3/10
7.5/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Razer Book 13 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
7.3/10
14.2in
SIZE
13.4in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Razer Book 13 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers an excellent display with a high resolution and brightness, making it ideal for general use as well as tasks that require detailed color work like engineering and design, thanks to its wide color gamuts. However, its standard refresh rate, which is lower than dedicated gaming displays, limits its performance in 3D environments where smooth motion is crucial. The Razer Book 13, while also having a good resolution and color accuracy for general and design tasks, falls short in gaming and 3D applications due to a refresh rate that isn't geared towards the high-frame-rate demands of those fields.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Razer Book 13 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
$1,389
$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 Book 13 costs $1,389.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Book 13 has 14 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
Excellent
14.2in
SIZE
13.4in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Razer Book 13 to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has 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 Razer Book 13 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 Razer Book is like an XPS 13, but faster. The Book 13 combines the design philosophy and performance of a Blade Stealth with the 16:10 display of a Dell XPS 13 for an impressive piece of hardware. Office users who want something more stylish than the typical Dell, HP or Lenovo will certainly find themselves drawn to this Razer subnotebook. If your priorities are to have the best-looking and fastest 13-inch laptop in the office over auxiliary features, however, then the Book 13 proudly fulfills that niche."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the Razer Book 13
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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.
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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