A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
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 Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.8
7.7
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra 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.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.9
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design, though the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
9.2
8.7
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
408.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra for general use, AI, and engineering and design, while the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra has a better screen for software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
13.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra has 8 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
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.8
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$3,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra costs $3,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.4
8.5
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
408.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
8.4
8.6
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra 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
8.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra 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 Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) | Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,905 | $3,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.65'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 13.99" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 9.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 Pro (8C) | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 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 | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 76 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 479 nits | 408 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
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 | 4 | |
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Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra
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 Samsung
Samsung Electronics is one of the largest technology corporation by revenue. Based in South Korea, they are very well known for their wide range of phones, tablets, TVs and appliances. Their main line of laptops is the Galaxy Book series, launched in 2017. This range includes 2-in-1 convertible devices and standard notebooks, with a focus on portability and value for money.
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Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
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Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,095
Recommendations made
22,338
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
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