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Updated January 10, 2024·
The MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is often significantly less expensive and is lighter, making it more suited for on-the-go usage. It comes with an 8-core CPU, 8GB RAM, and 512GB of storage, which is enough for general use and moderate professional tasks. However, the MacBook Pro 16 (2023), while more expensive and heavier, has better performance because it has a 12-core CPU, 16GB RAM, and double the storage capacity. It is better for engineering, 3D rendering, and machine learning work. Both models boast a Mini LED display but the MacBook Pro 16 has slightly better screen resolution. Battery life is similar, with a minor edge for the 16-inch model. Choose based on your performance needs and budget; if you value portability and save money, go for the 14-inch, but if you need more power and screen space for demanding tasks, the 16-inch model is preferable. 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 (Late 2023)
- Very good portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
- Excellent for general use
- Good for gaming and AI
- Excellent for content creation
- Best in class battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
9.1
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
487.0 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 (2023) 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, offering portability with lighter weight and a smaller screen, adequate for many tasks with an M3 processor and sufficient memory, alongside high screen quality and long battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.4
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is equipped with an Apple M3 with a 10-core GPU and a 120Hz screen refresh rate, which is suitable for 3D tasks; however, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) offers a more powerful Apple M2 Pro with a 19-core GPU and the same screen refresh rate, thus providing superior graphics performance for more demanding 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.1
8.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.4
9.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 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
8.2
8.9
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) 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
9.3
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
487.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 14 for content creation, and software development.
Apple MacBook Pros are renowned for their high-resolution Retina displays and exceptional brightness, making them superb for everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and video playback. For engineering and design, their ability to cover wide color gamuts ensures precise and consistent colors, crucial for detailed work where color accuracy is paramount. However, for 3D applications and immersive gaming, their standard refresh rates are less ideal as they can't render fast-moving images as smoothly as screens with higher refresh rates, which might be offered by other laptops designed specifically for gaming or 3D rendering.
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 (2023) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,599
$2,423
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,599 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) costs $2,423.
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Key similarities
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
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,599 | $2,423 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 4.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 9.77" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 | Apple M2 Pro (12C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17 Hours | 17.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 99.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 16.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 3456 x 2234 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 489 nits | 487 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"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."
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"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 (2023)
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.
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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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Laptops stats compiled
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Recommendations made
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About the laptop team
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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
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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.
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