The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is more expensive but offers higher performance for intensive tasks like 3D or machine learning, better build quality, and longer battery life, making it suitable for professionals who need reliability and power. Its display is superior with higher brightness and color accuracy, which is great for creative work. However, it's less portable due to its higher weight. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is less expensive, has a larger screen, and is more suited to general use and gaming. It includes an AMD processor and Nvidia graphics, but its performance in demanding engineering or creative tasks may not match the MacBook Pro. Its portability is also slightly lower compared to the MacBook Pro. Choose the MacBook Pro for high-end tasks and the IdeaPad for more budget-conscious general use and gaming. 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 5 Pro
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is favored for its top-tier keyboard, speaker, and screen quality alongside excellent portability and battery life, offering a high-quality experience for daily tasks. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro stands out due to its superior RAM and good ratings in keyboard, speaker, portability, and battery life, making it a competent choice for general use with some advantage in multitasking.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023), with its powerful Apple M3 CPU and integrated M3 GPU, shines in engineering and design due to high RAM efficiency and its superior Mini LED screen offering exceptional color accuracy and contrast. Conversely, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro offers more RAM and a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU which aids greatly in engineering tasks, its IPS screen quality and color coverage are lower compared to the MacBook, yet it remains highly capable for a range of engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
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 IdeaPad 5 Pro 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
7.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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
7.8/10
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 features a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and color accuracy, which enhances the viewing experience for both general use and engineering/design tasks that require precise color representation. In contrast, for 3D applications, its screen may lack the high refresh rates preferred for smooth animation and rendering. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro offers a good balance of resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and design work, but like the MacBook, it falls short for gaming and 3D because it doesn't prioritize the high refresh rates critical for these activities.
Battery
17.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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
16.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,499
$1,162
$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 5 Pro costs $1,162.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Pro 14, with its Apple M3 GPU, excels at 3D tasks on MacOS but falls short for gaming due to fewer compatible titles, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro's Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU is good for games available on Windows but may deliver only fair performance in demanding 3D scenarios. Both have similar high screen refresh rates, but the MacBook's optimized hardware-software integration offers an edge in screen quality, which complements 3D work, whereas the IdeaPad 5 Pro benefits from Windows' larger game library and hardware tailored for gaming.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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 5 Pro turns out a successful all-rounder that, aside from 3D applications, always strikes a good or very good figure. This begins with the elegant metal case that isn't particularly light but fairly robust, giving a high-quality impression. The input devices are also better than those of many competitors. Both the keyboard and the touchpad are attractive and comfortable. In addition, the performance of the Ryzen 5 6600HS is easily able to keep up with the Intel competitors."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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