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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is a better choice if you prioritize excellent build quality, a high-resolution Mini LED display with better color accuracy, and robust performance for professional tasks like engineering or 3D rendering, not to mention its longer battery life. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 offers better value for money with a larger screen and touchscreen capability, more RAM, and a decent processor for general use and less intensive engineering tasks. If cost is a major concern and your work doesn't demand cutting-edge specifications, the Lenovo can be a solid choice, but it falls short in display quality and battery life compared to the MacBook Pro. 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 IdeaPad 1 15"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.3
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is equipped with a high-performance CPU and impressive screen quality, making it ideal for various general use applications, and it enhances user experience with excellent portability and long battery life. In comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" offers a larger screen and more RAM, which can be beneficial for multitasking, but it compromises on battery life and portability.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.1
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14's high-refresh-rate Mini LED display and integrated 10-core GPU make it well-suited for smooth and high-quality 3D rendering, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 with its standard refresh rate IPS screen and Ryzen 7’s Vega 8 graphics delivers fair performance that's adequate for some less demanding games and 3D tasks. However, the MacBook's macOS may limit gaming options, while the IdeaPad running Windows has broader game compatibility.
Engineering and Design
8.1
6.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its robust Apple M3 processor and a 10-core GPU, provides substantial power for demanding engineering software and design work, while the high-resolution Mini LED screen offers superior color accuracy for precise visual tasks. In comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a capable AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor and Vega 8 GPU which can handle fair engineering tasks, but the lower screen resolution and reduced color coverage make it less ideal for intricate design work.
Content Creation
8.4
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
6.4
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro has a high-resolution display, superior brightness, and advanced panel technology that provides crisp and vibrant visuals, a benefit during everyday tasks and color-sensitive engineering or design work thanks to its wide color gamut coverage. However, its screen has a standard refresh rate, which is less ideal for fluid motion in 3D applications. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad offers decent resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and work but lacks the wide color gamut necessary for precise color work, and its refresh rate also falls short for smooth 3D rendering and gaming.
Battery
17.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 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
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
6.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,499
$741
$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 IdeaPad 1 15" costs $741.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) | Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,499 | $741 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 3.57 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 14.18" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 9.29" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 42 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 489 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023)
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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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMedia
Alex Iliev | April 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
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.
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