If you're keen on saving money and your tasks don't demand the latest specs, the MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) can be a sensible choice with reliable performance for standard tasks. However, for those who work on more intensive tasks like video editing, 3D design, or advanced programming, the latest MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) offers cutting-edge performance and features that may justify the higher cost. The newer model also typically provides longer battery life and may have a better display and improved portability due to weight and thickness optimizations. Always consider if the performance improvements and added features in the newer model align with your needs and if they are worth the increase in price to you. 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 16 (Late 2019)
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
8.8/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
The MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a more powerful CPU with more cores, more RAM, and an enhanced Mini LED screen with a higher resolution and refresh rate compared to the MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019), which improves performance and screen quality for general use. However, the newer model is also slightly heavier and has marginally less battery capacity, affecting portability and battery life, albeit it offers a longer battery life due to more efficient components.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
7.5/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
60Hz
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 16 (Late 2019) is only fair.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.9/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
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
8.0/10
8.9/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
16.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) are both very good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
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
7.9/10
8.9/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
7.8/10
9.3/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.2in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) offers a high-resolution Retina display and good brightness levels that make it pleasant for everyday tasks, but its standard refresh rate limits its suitability for 3D applications where higher refresh rates are preferred. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) steps up with an even brighter and sharper display, ensuring crisp and vivid images for general use and engineering tasks, along with a wide color gamut that benefits color-sensitive design work. However, like its predecessor, it still lacks the high refresh rate required for optimal 3D rendering, which can be a downside for 3D designers and gamers.
Battery
12.0 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 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.
Cost
$540
$2,299
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) costs $2,299.
"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."
"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 16 (Late 2019) 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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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.