The Apple MacBook Pro 16 from late 2019 will cost you less and offers a robust build with MacOS, favorable for those embedded within Apple's ecosystem. It has a dedicated graphics card suitable for a range of tasks including light gaming and video editing. However, it might not fare well for more intensive 3D, machine learning tasks, or the most current games. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo, while costing more, provides a sharper OLED screen – which could be better for creative professionals who prioritize display quality – more storage and higher memory, making it better suited for demanding software engineering and content creation. With a more contemporary processor and integrated graphics, it's designed for modern applications and multitasking. Choose the MacBook if you prefer MacOS and want to save money while still having good performance for everyday tasks and some creative work. Opt for the MSI if you require high performance for tasks like software development, video editing and are willing to pay more for the latest specs and best display quality. 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)
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
8.6/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) delivers a strong combination of CPU and RAM for smooth general use, complemented by high screen quality with good brightness and color accuracy, but it’s heavier which affects portability and has a traditional IPS screen. In comparison, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo offers double the storage and RAM, an OLED display with higher resolution and contrast for sharper visuals, and a lighter build for better portability, while maintaining similar battery life, making it very good for general use.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.4/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) offers solid performance with its 16 GB RAM and Intel i7 processor but is outmatched by the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo's 32 GB RAM and newer Intel Core processor, which translates to more robust handling of engineering tasks and design work. Furthermore, while the MacBook Pro's AMD GPU and high-quality IPS display are commendable, the Prestige's more powerful Intel Arc GPU and superior OLED screen with higher resolution enhance visual fidelity critical for design accuracy and detail.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.6/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) are both very good for content creation, though the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is somewhat better.
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
8.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
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
8.4/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro's Retina display offers crisp resolution and brightness suitable for a variety of tasks, making it great for general use, while its wider color gamut supports professional engineering and design applications. The MSI Prestige's display, with its strong emphasis on color accuracy and coverage, excels in providing the necessary detail for engineering and design professionals. However, both laptops lack the high refresh rates preferred for smooth visuals in 3D applications, which can be crucial for gaming or 3D modeling.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$540
$1,349
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo costs $1,349.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) with its AMD Radeon Pro 5300M GPU is fair for 3D because the GPU is capable but not as powerful as dedicated gaming GPUs, and its screen has a standard refresh rate; the machine's emphasis on professional creative work also means many popular games may not be compatible with its MacOS. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo offers an Intel Arc 8-Cores GPU which is better suited for gaming, providing good performance in both gaming and 3D tasks, and runs on Windows 11 Home which supports a wider range of popular games.
Battery
12.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has 12 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
16.0in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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 MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is meant to be a business-focused laptop, but it ends up being the MacBook challenger PC laptop enthusiasts have longed for. Not only can it meet and, in many cases, surpass the M2-powered MacBooks, but it is also surpassing the baseline M3 MacBooks, which is a giant leap forward for Intel-powered laptops. This isn’t hyperbole; this is what the numbers show."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
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 Golden, Ph.D
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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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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