If you're looking for premium build quality, a long-lasting battery, and top-notch performance for demanding applications like video editing or 3D modeling, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) stands out, but it comes at a higher price. On the other hand, if your priority is affordability and you have more basic computing needs like web browsing, office applications, or streaming, the Gateway 15.6" may be sufficient despite its lower performance and build quality. The MacBook Pro 16 is also heavier, which makes it less convenient for frequent travel compared to the lighter Gateway. Choose the MacBook Pro if performance and high-quality display are crucial, and the Gateway if budget is your main concern and you primarily do light tasks. 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 (2021)
Excellent for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 15.6"
The Gateway 15.6" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
7.0/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the Gateway 15.6" is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in CPU and RAM power, screen quality with its mini LED display, and has a longer battery life for extended use without recharging, all packaged in a highly portable and durable design, alongside a top-notch keyboard and speakers, making it very good for general use. On the other hand, the Gateway 15.6" has adequate storage and RAM for general tasks, an acceptable IPS screen, and manages heat well, but falls short in battery longevity and has a lower-quality keyboard and speakers, still earning it a good status for general use.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.0/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is esteemed for 3D work because of its high-quality GPU and a screen capable of a 120Hz refresh rate which is beneficial for smooth visuals, but keep in mind many popular games won't run on MacOS. Conversely, the Gateway 15.6" offers fair gaming performance thanks to its competent integrated GPU and standard 60Hz screen refresh rate; however, its screen quality and GPU don't match the MacBook's, which may affect its capabilities for more demanding 3D tasks and gaming visuals.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
6.2/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.0/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 15.6" 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
8.9/10
6.7/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" 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
9.4/10
6.1/10
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Pro 16 boasts a high-resolution display which, along with its excellent brightness, provides crisp and vibrant images, making it ideal for both everyday tasks and professional design work where color accuracy within wide color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB is crucial. On the other hand, the Gateway 15.6" offers a fair display that is adequate for general and engineering tasks but it might not have the same level of brightness or color fidelity. However, for 3D applications and gaming, both laptops may fall short due to lower refresh rates, which are key for smooth visuals in fast-moving scenes.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" has 8 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
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$380
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,949 and the Gateway 15.6" costs $380.
"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."
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the Gateway 15.6"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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