The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a higher price point but offers better performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering due to its powerful processor and GPU. It also provides an exceptional display with high brightness and color accuracy, longer battery life, and a higher portability score. However, it is slightly heavier than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i. The IdeaPad Slim 5i is more affordable, offers decent general performance, and is lighter, making it easier to carry around, but it has a lower-resolution display, less powerful processing capabilities, and shorter battery life, which could be limiting for demanding software applications. The right choice depends on whether performance and display quality or budget and portability are your top priorities. 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
7.5/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
315.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is equipped with a more robust CPU and double the RAM of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, along with a superior Mini LED screen which enhances its suitability for demanding tasks and content viewing, though it's heavier and less portable. On the other hand, the IdeaPad Slim 5i, while having less powerful internals and a lower-quality IPS panel, offers a lighter form factor which contributes to better portability and is coupled with a reasonable battery life, making it a good option for everyday use.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.3/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is preferred for 3D tasks due to its robust GPU and high-refresh-rate Mini LED screen, which produce excellent visuals. However, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, while fair for gaming and 3D with its capable integrated GPU and standard IPS display, is more compatible with a wider range of games due to Windows 11's extensive game support compared to MacOS.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
7.0/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is preferred for engineering and design due to its higher RAM capacity, more powerful CPU and GPU, and superior Mini LED screen offering a crisper display and better color accuracy, which are crucial for demanding applications and detailed graphical tasks. In comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, while lighter and slightly more portable, comes with less RAM, a less powerful CPU and GPU, and a standard IPS display which is sufficient for many tasks but does not match the high fidelity of the MacBook Pro's screen.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.4/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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
7.4/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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
9.4/10
6.4/10
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
315.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a high-resolution display and excellent brightness, which enhances its visual clarity and detail, making it ideal for general use and engineering tasks that require precise color representation, such as DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color gamuts. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i offers a satisfactory visual experience with fair resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks and casual engineering work, though its color range might not be as expansive. However, both laptops fall short for 3D and gaming due to their standard refresh rates, which don't provide the smooth visuals that are critical for fast-paced graphics and rendering.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$828
$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 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i costs $828.
"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 device is made for average work loads and if your work has a lot to do with online browsing, using apps that are not power-hungry and streaming videos. The looks are really good and the device in itself is not a heavy one. And with Intel 11th-gen Core processor, you might sail through most of your work without complaints."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
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
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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.