The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) offers higher processing power and better graphics performance, making it suitable for intensive engineering tasks, video editing, and other demanding applications. However, it is heavier and larger, which affects its portability. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is lighter and thus more portable, but it comes with less power and lower graphics performance, which might limit its use in demanding tasks. It is important to consider what you prioritize: if performance and creative work are your main focuses, the MacBook Pro is better suited, but for everyday tasks and easier transportation, the IdeaPad Slim 3 could be preferable. 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
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019).
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
7.0/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.1/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Slim 3 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is better equipped for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel i7 processor, higher RAM capacity, and superior AMD Radeon Pro GPU, along with its high-quality IPS screen that provides better color coverage and brightness. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, while more portable, has a less powerful AMD Ryzen 3 processor and lower RAM, and its integrated GPU and screen have lower color accuracy and brightness, making it less suitable for intensive engineering tasks and professional design work.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.2/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Slim 3 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
3.6/10
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 Slim 3 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
281.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the MacBook Pro's higher resolution and brightness provide a clearer and more vibrant display, whereas the IdeaPad Slim 3's fair screen quality suggests a lower resolution and less striking visuals. In engineering and design, the MacBook Pro excels with a wider color gamut, ensuring more accurate color representation critical for detailed work, while the IdeaPad's fair rating indicates less precise color accuracy. For 3D tasks where fast-paced visuals are key, the IdeaPad and MacBook's poor screen quality reflects lower refresh rates, which could lead to less fluid motion compared to laptops with screens optimized for 3D applications.
Battery
12.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$540
$400
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 costs $400.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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 Slim 3 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."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
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.
By the numbers
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Laptops evaluated
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Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
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Recommendations made
22,273
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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.