If you prioritize high-end performance for tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, or software development, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) may serve you better, despite its higher price. Its larger screen and powerful hardware are suited for intensive applications but may affect portability and battery life. On the other hand, if you're looking for a more budget-friendly option for general use such as web browsing, document editing, and other basic tasks, the Gateway 14.1" is more portable and likely better on battery life, but it won't match the MacBook Pro's performance for demanding tasks. The decision should be based on your specific needs and willingness to invest in performance versus saving money with a more modest and portable device. 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 general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
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 Gateway 14.1"
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
5.6/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) excels in general use with a powerful Intel i7 processor, ample 16GB of RAM, superior screen quality, and long battery life, making it less portable due to its weight but highly capable for a variety of tasks. On the other hand, the Gateway 14.1" falls short with a less potent Intel Celeron processor, limited 4GB of RAM, lower screen quality, and shorter battery life, but gains an advantage in portability due to its lighter weight.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
5.4/10
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
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16" (Late 2019) is fair for 3D applications because it includes a dedicated AMD Radeon Pro 5300M graphics card, suitable for moderate 3D tasks, but its screen refresh rate is standard at 60Hz, and many games don't run on its macOS.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
5.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
5.8/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
5.8/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
6.0/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.1in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a high-quality display for general activities like browsing and watching videos, the MacBook Pro 16's screen stands out due to its superior resolution and brightness. For engineering and design work where accurate color representation is crucial, the MacBook Pro's wider color gamut coverage ensures more precise and vibrant visuals. However, if your main focus is 3D gaming and you value fluid motion and responsiveness, the Gateway’s lower refresh rate may not deliver the smoothest experience despite it being satisfactory for everyday tasks and some design work.
Battery
12.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The Gateway 14.1" has 8 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
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$540
$99
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the Gateway 14.1" costs $99.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 14.1" 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 Gateway 14.1" 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 Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the Gateway 14.1"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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.
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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
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.