The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is known for its high build quality, excellent display, and strong performance for creative tasks, but it comes with a premium price tag and less gaming capability. Its operating system is macOS, which might not be compatible with some Windows-based applications. The Gigabyte A5, likely offering better gaming performance and more configuration options for hardware like graphics cards, could be heavier and have less battery life, making it less portable. For general use and creative tasks such as video editing, the MacBook Pro could be a better choice, while for gaming or tasks that require high-end graphics, the Gigabyte A5 may be more suitable. Consider which of these aspects—operating system, build quality, display, performance for specific tasks like gaming or creative work, portability, battery life, and price—is most important for your needs. 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)
Very good for content creation
Best in class overall build quality
Very good battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte A5
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
7.3/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Gigabyte A5 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 a high-quality screen, excellent speakers, and a strong build, suited for users prioritizing media consumption and a premium feel, but its heavier build and larger screen size may reduce portability compared to lighter models. The Gigabyte A5, while also providing satisfactory performance for general use with a solid processor and enough RAM, excels in heat management and includes a numeric keypad and hardware ray tracing, making it a versatile option for users who enjoy occasional gaming or 3D tasks alongside their general activities.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
7.1/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte A5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with its AMD Radeon Pro 5300M graphics card and standard screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, is adequate for 3D tasks but not optimized for high-end gaming. Conversely, the Gigabyte A5's Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and higher 144 Hz refresh rate make it more suitable for gaming and 3D-intensive applications; additionally, its compatibility with a wider range of popular games, unlike the MacBook's MacOS limitations, enhances its gaming credentials.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.3/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
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 Gigabyte A5 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
7.0/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Gigabyte A5 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
7.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Gigabyte A5 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 offers a high-resolution and bright display, which, combined with its superior panel type, results in vibrant and clear visuals suited for tasks where image clarity is crucial, such as photo editing or document reading. Moreover, its wide color gamut coverage meets the demands of engineering and design professionals who require accurate color representation for precise work. However, its lower refresh rate compared to gaming-oriented laptops means it isn't ideal for 3D work where smoother motion and rapid screen updates are essential, as might be the case with animation or fast-paced game development.
Battery
12.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte A5 has 6.5 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Gigabyte A5 both have good portability, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the Gigabyte A5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$540
$830
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the Gigabyte A5 costs $830.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Gigabyte A5 are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) with its Intel i7 processor and AMD Radeon Pro GPU, complemented by its high-resolution display, makes it suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks; additionally, its build and speaker quality ensure a premium experience.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the Gigabyte A5 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."
"Ignoring price, the Gigabyte A5 has a hard time against the similarly fast competition. Besides the loud noise in 3D mode (performance mode), the high temperature development of the components should be mentioned on the downside. Despite the relatively thick case, the laptop gets very warm and loud under load, which does not exactly speak for the cooling system. The plastic surfaces look rather cheap and also tend to rattle. In most other disciplines - be it the input devices, the screen, the connectivity or the battery runtime - the Gigabyte laptop does not stand out from the crowd, neither positively nor negatively. However, those who primarily pay attention to the price-performance ratio will get a pretty good offer with the Gigabyte A5."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the Gigabyte A5
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
102,795
Recommendations made
22,273
Consumer hours saved
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
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.