Choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the Dell Latitude 14 7490 involves careful consideration of your needs and budget. The MacBook Pro offers superior performance, higher display resolution, and larger screen size, making it an excellent option for demanding tasks such as video editing, 3D modeling, or software development. Its graphics capabilities are also well-suited for gaming and machine learning applications. However, its higher cost and heavier weight make it less portable and more of an investment. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude is more budget-friendly, lighter, and thus more portable, but it comes with lower performance and graphics capabilities, which might not be suitable for intensive tasks. Its battery life and build quality are good for general business use and regular office applications. If you prioritize high-performance computing and can handle the additional expense and weight, the MacBook Pro is the way to go. But if you need a laptop that is more affordable and portable for everyday tasks, the Dell Latitude should serve you well. 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)
Good for engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Latitude 14 7490
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
7.2/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) offers robust performance with its i7 processor, plentiful RAM, and superior screen quality, making it well-suited for general use that may also include more intensive applications; its drawback is in its lesser portability due to being heavier and larger. Conversely, the Dell Latitude 14 7490 also caters well to general use with a solid i7 processor and ample RAM, in a more compact and lighter form factor, which enhances its portability, though it has a less impressive display and shorter battery life compared to the MacBook Pro.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
5.9/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
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 2019) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is poor.
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
6.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) with its high-performance CPU, dedicated AMD GPU, and high-resolution, color-accurate screen is more suited for demanding engineering and design tasks than the Dell Latitude 14 7490, which, despite having a competent CPU and sufficient RAM, is limited by its integrated graphics and lower screen quality. However, the Latitude 14 7490 is lighter and potentially easier to carry around which, along with a good build and keyboard quality, might be preferred by those prioritizing portability and build over raw performance.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.3/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is very good for content creation, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
7.9/10
7.1/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
7.8/10
6.7/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 14 7490 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16's screen excels in clarity and vibrant color representation, which is crucial for detail-oriented work like engineering and design, thanks to its higher resolution and wide color gamut. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less optimal for 3D applications that benefit from smoother motion. The Dell Latitude 14 7490, while offering decent resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks, falls short for professional design work due to its limited color range, and the lower refresh rate fails to meet the demand for fluid graphics in gaming and 3D content.
Battery
12.0 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has 9.5 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
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$540
$300
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the Dell Latitude 14 7490 costs $300.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Latitude 14 7490 to have very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the Dell Latitude 14 7490 compare to other laptops
"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 Dell Latitude 7490's got the speed you need (and then some), a keyboard that's comfortable enough for writing all day long and a battery that supports a full 8-hour workday. If only the display were brighter and it managed heat better. If you need every minute of battery life you can get, the extended-battery version of the Lenovo ThinkPad T480 lasts 8 hours longer than the Latitude 7490, but its display is much less colorful."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the Dell Latitude 14 7490
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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
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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.
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Laptops Expert
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