If budget is a main concern and general use or basic gaming is your aim, the MSI GF63 Thin may suffice. However, if you're looking for superior performance for tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, or professional work, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 is well-regarded, with the tradeoff being its higher cost. Apple's build quality and ecosystem benefits, like seamless integration with other Apple devices and long-term software support, often justify the premium for many users. Meanwhile, the MSI is more gaming-oriented, with the benefit of being lighter for better portability. Keep in mind the MacBook Pro generally offers better display quality and battery life but with fewer ports and no option for hardware upgrades after purchase. 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
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
The MSI GF63 Thin has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.5/10
6.0/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a more advanced CPU, more RAM, and a higher-resolution Mini LED screen, factors that contribute to its strong performance and vibrant display for general use; additionally, it offers better portability and longer battery life.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.0/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a powerful built-in GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, making it well-suited for 3D tasks, while the MSI GF63 Thin, with its dedicated Nvidia graphics card and standard refresh rate screen, offers fair performance for gaming but can fall short for intense 3D work; however, it's important to consider that many popular games may not be compatible with the MacOS on the MacBook.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
6.0/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is superior for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU, ample RAM, advanced integrated GPU, and sharp, high-quality Mini LED screen, which elevates it for CPU-intensive tasks, detailed graphics work, and color accuracy needed for design. In contrast, the MSI GF63 Thin, with its less powerful processor, less RAM, discrete GPU that's less powerful than the MacBook's integrated option, and a lower resolution IPS screen, offers fair performance that may suffice for less demanding engineering applications but falls short for high-end design work.
Content Creation
8.5/10
6.0/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.1/10
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and color accuracy, making it ideal for general use and tasks that require precise color representation, such as engineering and design work. The MSI GF63 Thin provides a fair balance with decent resolution and brightness, but falls short in areas like color accuracy, which is crucial for professional design tasks. Both laptops, however, lack the high refresh rates preferred for smooth 3D rendering, which is essential for gaming and certain 3D applications.
Battery
13.5 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has very good portability, while the MSI GF63 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$599
$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 MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
"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."
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) or the MSI GF63 Thin
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.
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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