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 (2023)
- Excellent for general use
- Excellent for software development
- 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 16 AI Studio
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Best in class overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9
8.9
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good.
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.
Screen Quality
9.2
9.7
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio for software development, while the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
13.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has 9 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
4.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has very good portability, while the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.4
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has 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
9.3
8.8
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) to be excellent for general use, while the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is very good.
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.
Engineering and Design
9.2
9.5
8.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator 16 AI Studio to be best in class for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is excellent.
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.
Content Creation
9.2
9.1
8.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and MSI Creator 16 AI Studio are both excellent 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
9.1
8.9
8.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) to be excellent for software development, while the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is very 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.
Cost
$3,050
$2,999
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a price of $3,050 and the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio costs $2,999.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) | MSI Creator 16 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,050 | $2,999 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 14'' x 10.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 4.39 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 10.22" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 Max (12C) | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 13.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 489 nits | 1000 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 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 | 4 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
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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 (2023) or the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio
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.
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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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Recommendations made
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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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