If you're looking for high performance and advanced features, particularly for tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, or software development, the Apple MacBook Pro will serve you well, at a higher cost. It's known for its premium build quality, powerful processors, and a high-resolution display. However, the Gateway 11.6" could be a good fit if you prioritize affordability and portability for basic tasks such as web browsing, document editing, or streaming media. Notably, it will have less power and potentially a shorter battery life, making it less suitable for intensive tasks. The choice ultimately depends on whether the additional power and features are worth the price difference to you. 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 (2023)
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 11.6"
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.5/10
5.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) offers superior performance with its more powerful CPU and higher RAM compared to the Gateway 11.6", which has a modest processor and less RAM, impacting multitasking and speed. Additionally, the MacBook's exceptional screen quality, longer battery life, and higher build quality make it ideal for extensive use, while the Gateway's lower-resolution display and overall poorer build and component quality limit its effectiveness for demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
5.4/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) excels in 3D tasks owing to its powerful 16-core GPU, high screen refresh rate, and superior screen quality, but some popular games are not compatible with macOS. On the other hand, the Gateway 11.6" struggles with gaming and 3D because it has a basic CPU and GPU that aren't designed for intensive graphical tasks, along with a standard refresh rate and lower screen quality.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
5.4/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) excels in engineering and design due to its powerful CPU (Apple M2 Pro), substantial RAM (16GB), advanced GPU (Apple M2 Pro 16C), and high-quality Mini LED screen with great resolution, brightness, and color accuracy.
Content Creation
8.5/10
5.7/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
8.4/10
5.7/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
14.2in
SIZE
11.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14's high-resolution screen, bright display, and wide color gamuts make it excellent for tasks demanding precise colors and sharp images, such as engineering and design, but its standard refresh rate is less optimal for 3D applications where smoother motion is crucial. In contrast, the Gateway 11.6" offers lower resolution and brightness, resulting in less clarity and vividness, making it unsuitable for both general use and professional design work. Additionally, its lack of a high refresh rate hinders performance for gaming and 3D content, where fluid motion and fast screen updates are key.
Battery
13.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Gateway 11.6" 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
Excellent
14.2in
SIZE
11.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$89
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a price of $1,700 and the Gateway 11.6" costs $89.
"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 Gateway 11.6"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Laptops Expert
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