To make an informed decision between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and the MSI Prestige 15, consider your primary needs. The MacBook Pro 14 is more expensive and may offer better build quality, display quality with higher brightness and resolution, and superior battery life which is beneficial for those who prioritize a top-tier visual experience and longer unplugged usage. It runs macOS, which might suit you if you're invested in the Apple ecosystem. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 15 is less expensive and has a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, which could be better for certain 3D tasks and light gaming. However, it may lag in battery life and has a lower resolution display. The Prestige runs on Windows, making it a potential fit if you rely on Windows-specific applications. Both have similar storage, RAM, and are not particularly suited for intensive gaming. The MSI is slightly heavier and bulkier, impacting portability, whereas the MacBook Pro is slightly lighter with a smaller form factor. 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 Prestige 15
The MSI Prestige 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.5/10
7.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the MSI Prestige 15 is 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.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.3/10
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
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) with its Apple M2 Pro GPU and high refresh rate Mini LED screen excels in 3D applications, but its MacOS may limit game compatibility compared to the MSI Prestige 15, which, while having a fair Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU for gaming, has a lower refresh rate IPS screen, impacting fast-paced gaming visuals.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
7.2/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design due to its high-performance CPU and GPU, excellent screen quality with Mini LED technology, and substantial memory, while the MSI Prestige 15 is also equipped for these tasks but compromises slightly on CPU and GPU performance and has an IPS screen, which is good but considered a step below Mini LED in terms of color accuracy and contrast. The MacBook Pro offers a combination of portability with a smaller, lighter design and less operating noise, whereas the MSI Prestige 15 provides a slightly larger screen and more ports, which may be valuable for connectivity but comes with added weight and a bulkier build.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.5/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 MSI Prestige 15 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
7.2/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the MSI Prestige 15 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
6.8/10
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
298.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its high-resolution display, offers exceptional clarity and brightness, making it ideal for general use, while its wide color gamut supports the nuanced color needs of engineering and design. The MSI Prestige 15 also provides a high-quality display suitable for general use and professional design work, with ample brightness and color accuracy. However, for activities like 3D work where the display's refresh rate is crucial, both laptops may not be optimal, as higher refresh rates which are vital for smooth motion renderings are typically found in gaming-oriented machines.
Battery
13.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 15 has 7.5 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
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has very good portability, while the MSI Prestige 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Prestige 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$1,044
$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 Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
"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 MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) or the MSI Prestige 15
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.
By the numbers
380
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.