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
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019).
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.6/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) outmatches the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" in essential areas for engineering and design: it boasts a more powerful CPU, a dedicated GPU, and superior screen quality, crucial for demanding engineering software and design precision. On the other hand, the Lenovo is lighter and thus more portable, with slightly better battery life, but its integrated GPU and lower-resolution display may not handle engineering applications as efficiently and would offer less detail for design work.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.4/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
7.3/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
6.4/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and color accuracy, making it excellent for general use and engineering tasks that require precise colors, but its standard refresh rate limits its appeal for 3D applications that benefit from faster screen refresh. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1's lower resolution and brightness result in just fair quality for everyday tasks and engineering or design work, where fine details and color fidelity are key. Its standard refresh rate and average display attributes offer a less immersive gaming and 3D experience, where visuals are crucial for fast-paced action.
Battery
12.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$540
$741
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" costs $741.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) stands out for general use with a superior CPU, more RAM, a higher-resolution display, and longer battery life, making it suitable for demanding tasks, but also heavier and less portable than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15", which offers a touchscreen, better portability, and adequate performance for routine tasks alongside good heat management, though it falls short in screen quality and battery life compared to the MacBook.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
6.1/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a dedicated GPU that is suited for 3D tasks but is limited by a low screen refresh rate and incompatibility with many popular games due to its macOS. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" integrates graphics with its CPU, providing adequate performance for gaming and 3D applications but shares the same refresh rate limitations and has a lower screen resolution and brightness, impacting screen quality.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) both have 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
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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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.