For tasks like general use and media consumption, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 provides a larger, higher-resolution screen which is great for video and photo editing, while the MSI GF63 Thin has a standard full HD screen. If portability is key, the MacBook Pro is thinner and lighter; however, the MSI GF63, being a gaming laptop, has a dedicated graphics card suited for gaming and potentially more demanding graphics tasks. The MacBook Pro typically offers a more premium build quality and longer battery life, but the MSI might be preferable for those requiring a Windows operating system for specific software compatibility. 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 MSI GF63 Thin
The MSI GF63 Thin has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019).
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
6.0/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) offers better performance for general use due to its higher-quality CPU, more RAM, and superior screen quality including higher resolution and brightness, along with a significantly longer battery life. On the other hand, while the MSI GF63 Thin is more affordable, it has a less powerful CPU, half the RAM, and a lower quality display, which makes it less ideal for demanding tasks, despite being slightly lighter and almost as portable as the MacBook Pro.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.0/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is better suited for engineering and design use with a more powerful CPU, more RAM, higher screen resolution and quality, resulting in brighter and more color-accurate visuals, which are very important for such tasks.
Content Creation
8.0/10
6.0/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
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 MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16's high-resolution display and advanced color gamut coverage cater exceptionally well to engineering and design professionals who require color accuracy, but its lower refresh rate is less suitable for 3D applications that benefit from smoother visuals. The MSI GF63 Thin offers a fair-quality display for general use due to decent resolution and brightness, but it lacks the high color accuracy that engineering and design tasks often demand. For gaming and 3D, the GF63 is held back by its inadequate refresh rate, as faster rates provide a more fluid experience in fast-paced visual environments.
Battery
12.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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 MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$503
$599
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $503 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and MSI GF63 Thin 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 MSI GF63 Thin 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."
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the MSI GF63 Thin
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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 is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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