The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) offers more power for tasks like 3D rendering and machine learning, and its display is brighter with higher color accuracy, which could be beneficial for design and video editing. It also provides more storage out of the box, has a higher screen refresh rate, and features a backlit keyboard with multiple Thunderbolt ports. However, it is heavier and more expensive than the LG Gram 16. The LG Gram 16, on the other hand, is lighter and more affordable, which might be preferable for everyday tasks and travel. It still delivers decent performance for general use and has a good battery life. Both laptops do not have hardware ray tracing or are not suitable for intensive gaming, so they may not be the best choice for high-end gaming. Choose the MacBook Pro if higher performance and display quality are priorities, or the LG Gram for better portability and value. 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
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the LG Gram 16
The LG Gram 16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.5/10
7.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the LG Gram 16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) excels in general use with its powerful Apple M2 Pro processor, high-resolution Mini LED screen, and robust build quality, but it's less portable due to its heavier weight and comes at a higher price. Conversely, the LG Gram 16 offers a lighter build for better portability, a reasonable performance with Intel i7 processor for general use, and a lower price point, though its screen and overall performance don't quite match the MacBook Pro.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.4/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the LG Gram 16 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is well-suited for 3D tasks with its powerful M2 Pro GPU and high refresh rate display, but it runs MacOS which limits game compatibility. Meanwhile, the LG Gram 16's gaming and 3D capabilities are hampered by its less powerful Iris Xe graphics and standard refresh rate screen, although it benefits from a larger catalog of games due to Windows 11.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
7.5/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the LG Gram 16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) stands out in engineering and design due to its powerful M2 Pro processor and Mini LED screen for superior color accuracy and contrast, making it well-suited for tasks requiring high computing power and screen quality.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.8/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the LG Gram 16 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
8.4/10
7.9/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the LG Gram 16 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
16.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the LG Gram 16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a high-resolution display with excellent brightness, which makes for crisp and vibrant visuals for general use, while its wide color gamuts create accurate colors essential for engineering and design tasks. However, it typically lacks a high refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth 3D rendering and gaming experiences. The LG Gram 16 offers a high-resolution screen with respectable brightness for everyday tasks and design work, but like the MacBook, it falls short for gaming and 3D applications due to a lower refresh rate.
Battery
13.5 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The LG Gram 16 has 15 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
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the LG Gram 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$1,450
$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 LG Gram 16 costs $1,450.
"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 LG Gram 16 is a lightweight device with stability issues. The LG Gram 16Z90Q with a Core i7-1260P is made with portability in mind and places less of a focus on users with high demands on performance. The compact and light chassis is particularly practical when you are on the go. The device is not only comfortably small and lightweight, it also boasts a great battery life. When connected to mains, on the other hand, the 16-inch device is rather disappointing. The standard cooling mode causes extreme volatility in terms of CPU, SSD and iGPU performance. The meager stability of the chassis may also put off some potential buyers."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) or the LG Gram 16
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 LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, and are often on sale.
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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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.