Choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 and the MSI Titan 18 HX involves weighing the importance of budget, performance requirements, and portability. The MacBook Pro typically offers a balance of performance and portability, with a premium build and extended battery life suitable for general use, creative workflows, and some engineering applications. The MSI Titan, on the other hand, is a powerhouse geared towards intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and high-end gaming, but its larger size, heavier weight, and shorter battery life make it less portable. If your priority is top-tier performance for demanding tasks and portability is secondary, the MSI might be your best choice, but for everyday versatility, the MacBook Pro at a lower price point could be more appropriate. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Excellent for content creation
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
9.4/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
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
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good.
The MacBook Pro 14 offers a high-quality screen and capable GPU suitable for 3D tasks; however, its lower screen refresh rate and the fact that many popular games aren't compatible with macOS limit its appeal to gamers. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX, with its superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, makes it an excellent choice for gaming and 3D work, although this may come at a higher price and with decreased portability due to its size.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
9.9/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers a high-quality screen, powerful CPU, and efficient RAM, which make it suitable for engineering and design, but the MSI Titan 18 HX eclipses it with even superior CPU and GPU capabilities, catering to the most demanding engineering tasks. While the MacBook Pro excels in portability and has a reputable keyboard and speakers, the MSI Titan prioritizes ultimate performance, potentially at the expense of heavier weight and louder operation.
Screen Quality
9.2/10
9.2/10
14.2in
SIZE
18.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 14 for content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14's high-resolution Retina display offers excellent clarity and brightness for everyday tasks, plus a wide color gamut that provides accuracy vital for engineering and design work. However, its standard refresh rate is lower than what is preferred for 3D applications, where a higher refresh rate allows smoother rendering of fast-moving visuals. Conversely, the MSI Titan 18 HX, while great for general use and colour-accurate for engineering tasks, may not meet the high refresh rates and resulting smoothness demanded by gaming and intensive 3D work.
Battery
13.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
14.2in
SIZE
18.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has very good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$4,800
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a price of $1,700 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
The MSI Titan 18 HX and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 boasts a high-quality screen and efficient CPU, offering long battery life and easy portability, which is ideal for users who prioritize a balance between performance and mobility. In contrast, the MSI Titan 18 HX, with its larger screen and potent CPU and RAM, excels in raw power for demanding tasks, but it's bulkier and has shorter battery life, making it less suitable for frequent travel.
Content Creation
8.5/10
9.0/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Titan 18 HX to be excellent for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very 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
8.9/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) are both very good for software development.
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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and the MSI Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
"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."
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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