If you prioritize a high-resolution display, longer battery life, and robust performance for video editing or 3D work, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is recommended despite its higher cost and weight. Conversely, if you prefer a more affordable, lightweight laptop mainly for web browsing, document editing, or other less-demanding tasks, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is a more suitable option. Keep in mind though that the Lenovo will likely offer lower performance and a less premium build quality than the MacBook Pro. 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
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 3 14"
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
6.9/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 offers a powerful CPU and more RAM, leading to faster and smoother performance for demanding applications; its high-resolution screen, long battery life, and solid build make it suitable for professionals who need top-tier performance on the go. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" provides less processing power and a lower quality display, but it's lighter and more affordable, making it a viable option for everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing without breaking the bank.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.1/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a robust CPU, a dedicated GPU, a high-resolution screen with great color coverage, and ample RAM, making it an excellent choice for engineering and design tasks that require substantial computing power and visual clarity. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a less capable integrated GPU, a lower-resolution screen with less color accuracy, and half the RAM, which makes it less ideal for demanding engineering applications, though it's lighter and thus more portable.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.1/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 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 3 14" 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
14.0in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with its high-resolution display, bright panel, and wide color gamut, offers a clear and vibrant viewing experience suitable for general use and engineering tasks that involve color-sensitive work. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3's screen, while acceptable for everyday tasks and some design work, lacks the superior color coverage and brightness, which might make fine details less discernible and colors less accurate for professionals. For 3D applications where refresh rate is critical, both laptops fall short because they prioritize resolution and color accuracy over the faster refresh rates preferred for smooth motion in gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
12.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$502
$390
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $502 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $390.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has an AMD Radeon Pro 5300M GPU which is capable for 3D tasks, but its gaming potentials are limited due to macOS's incompatibility with many popular games and its standard screen refresh rate. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3's AMD Ryzen Vega 7 integrated graphics are suitable for light gaming and 3D applications, though similarly constrained by a standard refresh rate and moderate CPU performance.
Give feedback
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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 low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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.