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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in screen technology with its Mini LED display, delivering exceptional color accuracy and brightness. It's also lighter and offers a significantly longer battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go use and general tasks. Additionally, with Apple's M1 Pro chip, it provides seamless integration with MacOS and optimal performance for creative software. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and Intel i9 processor, which outperforms the MacBook Pro in gaming and 3D tasks. It has a higher storage capacity and a more gaming-oriented design with RGB keyboard lighting. However, it is heavier and offers a shorter battery life, which may reduce portability. Choose the MacBook Pro for superior display quality and battery life or the Legion 7i Pro for top-notch gaming performance and storage. 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
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Good portability
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
9.0
8.4
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
469.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in general use due to its high-resolution Mini LED screen, long battery life, and relatively lightweight design, powered by Apple's M1 Pro CPU which is efficient for various tasks, while also being more portable thanks to its lower weight.
Gaming and AI
7.0
9.1
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is equipped with its own GPU and a high-quality Mini LED screen with a solid refresh rate, making it suitable for 3D work within the Mac ecosystem, which, however, limits game compatibility. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i boasts a more powerful Nvidia GPU and an extremely high screen refresh rate, both ideal for gaming and 3D applications on a platform that supports a vast array of games.
Engineering and Design
8.7
9.3
7.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is valued for engineering and design because of its powerful M1 Pro chip with a 16-core GPU, providing strong performance across CPU and graphics-intensive tasks, complemented by a high-quality Mini LED screen for accurate color work. The Lenovo Legion 7i Pro steps up with an even more robust CPU and a top-tier RTX 4080 GPU, offering exceptional computing and rendering capabilities for advanced engineering applications, but it is heavier and bulkier, which impacts portability compared to the sleeker MacBook Pro.
Software Development
8.9
8.2
7.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Lenovo Legion Pro 7i are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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
9.4
8.7
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
469.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in screen quality for general use and engineering due to its high-resolution display, impressive brightness, and wide color gamuts, which ensure sharp text, bright images, and accurate colors essential for design work. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i also offers a high-quality display with strong brightness and resolution for general tasks and design-related activities, though it doesn't reach the color fidelity of the MacBook Pro. However, both fall short for 3D tasks as their screens lack the high refresh rates required for smooth rendering of fast-moving images, which is crucial for gaming and 3D modeling.
Battery
17.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has 5 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
Fair
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Content Creation
8.8
8.5
7.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Lenovo Legion Pro 7i are both very good for content creation.
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.
Cost
$1,999
$1,999
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,999 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i costs $1,999.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) | Lenovo Legion Pro 7i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,999 | $1,999 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 14.3'' x 10.3'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 10.32" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 Pro (10C) | Intel i9-13900HX | |
Graphics | |||
Graphics | M1 Pro (16C) | RTX 4080 (175 W) | |
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | |||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | Yes | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 497 nits | 469 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 9.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"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."
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i
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NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | February 2023
"Passionate gamers who want to play demanding modern titles with maximum details and don't mind spending the moolah will find the Lenovo Legion 7 Pro to be the right choice. The bright, sharp, and color-accurate 16:10 QHD 240 Hz display makes for an immersive viewing experience. The hardware is housed in a stylish chassis that feels premium and scores well in terms of workmanship and stability. Other aspects such as sound quality, input devices, and connectivity also seem to be near-perfect."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i
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.
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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
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
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.
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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.
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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.
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