Based on your needs, choose the Apple MacBook Pro 14 if you prioritize a high-quality build, excellent screen, and strong performance for professional tasks like video editing or music production, but keep in mind it's less portable due to its weight and has a higher cost. On the other hand, go for the Lenovo Flex 5 16 if you're looking for a larger touchscreen, more RAM for multitasking, and a more affordable price point, but compromises include a less powerful processor and shorter battery life which makes it less suitable for intensive tasks. The MacBook is a better fit for design and multimedia work while the Flex is a versatile choice for everyday use and touch-enabled applications. 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 for general use
Very good for engineering and design
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 Lenovo Flex 5 16
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its Apple M3 processor and high screen quality, offers excellent performance and superb display for general tasks, along with a robust battery life and good portability; whereas the Lenovo Flex 5 16, featuring an Intel i7 processor and ample RAM, provides a smooth user experience, especially with its 2-in-1 versatility, but it falls short on battery life and is slightly less portable.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is equipped with an Apple M3 processor and integrated GPU, making it powerful and efficient for engineering tasks, with a high-resolution Mini LED display ensuring excellent screen quality, but it has lesser RAM than the Lenovo Flex 5 16 which comes with double the RAM and an Intel i7 processor with Iris Xe graphics; the Flex also offers the versatility of a touchscreen and a 2-in-1 convertible form factor, advantageously substituting its lower screen resolution and display quality. Portability and keyboard quality are superior on the MacBook Pro, while the Lenovo Flex 5 may be preferred for its additional RAM and adaptive use as both a laptop and a tablet, balancing performance with flexibility in usage.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
8.2/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
7.3/10
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo Flex 5 16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14's display, with its high resolution and brightness, excels for general use and engineering where clear visuals and color accuracy are key, providing wide color gamuts necessary for precision work. Its screen, however, has a standard refresh rate which isn't ideal for 3D applications where smoother motion is crucial. The Lenovo Flex 5 16, conversely, offers a good quality display for general use and adequate color coverage for engineering tasks, but it also lacks the higher refresh rate needed for the best experience in gaming and 3D scenarios.
Battery
17.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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
16.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has very good portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,499
$700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,499 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $700.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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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.