If you value larger screen size and better multi-tasking capability, you'll appreciate the Apple MacBook Pro 16 with more memory. However, it's heavier and less portable compared to the MacBook Pro 14. The MacBook Pro 14 is also generally less expensive and offers respectable performance, especially for general tasks, with the added advantage of being lighter and thus easier to carry around. Both have similar battery life and excellent screen quality, but if your work involves complex computations or multitasking, the MacBook Pro 16's additional memory can make it more suitable despite its higher price and reduced portability. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023)
Very good portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Excellent for general use
Good for gaming and AI
Best in class battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
9.0/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is good for general use as it's more portable and has ample performance for everyday tasks due to its Apple M3 processor and 8 GB of RAM; while its screen quality and battery life are excellent for its class, the storage, keyboard, speaker, and heat management are also strong points.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
8.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) with an Apple M3 chip and a 10-core GPU is outfitted with essential qualities for engineering and design tasks but is surpassed by the MacBook Pro 16 (2021), which boasts a more robust Apple M1 Pro processor with a 16-core GPU and a significantly larger amount of RAM, enhancing performance for demanding workloads. While both offer high-quality screens and a suite of features like good keyboard and speaker quality, the MacBook Pro 16's larger screen and superior processing capabilities make it more suitable for intensive tasks, though it is less portable due to its larger size and weight.
Software Development
8.2/10
8.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is somewhat better.
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
9.4/10
14.2in
SIZE
16.2in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 14 for content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Apple MacBook Pro 14 and 16 have high-resolution displays with bright, vibrant panels, offering clarity and comfort for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. In the realm of engineering and design, their screens excel because they cover a wide range of colors with high accuracy, essential for precise visual work. However, for 3D environments where smooth motion is critical, they fall short as their refresh rates are lower than what's typically preferred for such tasks, making them less ideal for fast-paced 3D applications.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.2in
SIZE
16.2in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,499
$1,949
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,499 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) costs $1,949.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) to be good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Content Creation
8.4/10
8.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for content creation.
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.
Battery
17.0 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) both have best in class build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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."
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) or the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
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.
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.