Choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) boils down to your priorities. If you need a more portable and slightly less expensive option, prefer to carry your laptop often, and general performance is sufficient, go for the MacBook Pro 14. On the other hand, if you seek more power for tasks like engineering, 3D rendering, or intensive machine learning, and don't mind a larger, heavier device with a higher price, the MacBook Pro 16 is the better choice. Both models offer long battery life and excellent build quality, but the MacBook Pro 16 has more RAM for complex tasks. 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 (Late 2023)
Good for gaming and AI
Best in class battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
8.8/10
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 (Late 2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is lighter and thus more portable, and it has a very good portability score, making it better for users needing to move around a lot, even though the battery life is slightly less than the MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023). However, the MacBook Pro 16 has more RAM and a slightly larger and higher resolution screen, which can improve multitasking and the visual experience, alongside longer battery life, but is heavier and scores lower in portability, which may not be ideal for frequent travel.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
7.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
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 (Late 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) boasts an M3 chip with a 10-core GPU, making it competent for 3D tasks, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) steps up with an M3 Pro chip that includes a more powerful 18-core GPU; both models offer a high 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring a smooth visual experience for 3D applications, with the latter providing a larger canvas and potentially more power for more demanding 3D workloads. Screen quality is excellent on both, but the higher RAM in the MacBook Pro 16 may offer an edge in handling complex tasks and bigger projects.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
8.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is rated very good for engineering and design due to its more potent Apple M3 Pro processor, a larger amount of RAM for multitasking, and a more powerful GPU for graphics-intensive tasks, coupled with a higher-resolution screen that offers finer details. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is considered good for similar tasks, offering a balance of reputable performance with its Apple M3 processor and a highly capable GPU, in a more compact and slightly more portable form factor. Both models feature excellent screen quality, keyboards, and speakers, with portability and operating noise rated somewhat important.
Software Development
8.2/10
8.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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
9.2/10
9.3/10
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
487.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 14 for content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 and 16 offer high-resolution displays and exceptional brightness, which enhance the visual experience for general use, making text sharp and images vivid. Their color accuracy, covering a wide range of the color spectrum, is critical for engineering and design professionals who require precise color representation for detailed work. However, for 3D applications where a high refresh rate is paramount to fluid motion and interaction, these MacBooks fall short, as they prioritize resolution and color accuracy over the faster screen updates found in laptops designed for gaming or 3D modeling.
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 (Late 2023) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,449
$2,199
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,449 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) costs $2,199.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) 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 (Late 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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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) 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 (Late 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.
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
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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.
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.