When choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, consider the MacBook Pro if you need high performance for tasks like video editing or 3D modeling, as it offers more power, a larger display, and better graphics capabilities, but it's less portable and has a higher price. The ThinkPad X13, on the other hand, is more budget-friendly, highly portable, has a robust build quality suitable for business environments, and offers great keyboard comfort; however, its smaller screen and less powerful components may not be suitable for the most demanding applications. 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
Good for gaming and AI
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 ThinkPad X13
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
8.4/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with its high-quality CPU, ample RAM, and superior screen quality, offers powerful performance and excellent visuals, making it ideal for demanding applications and multimedia tasks, but it may not be as portable due to its larger size and it comes with a high price tag. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, while still delivering a decent performance with good CPU and RAM, focuses on portability and a balance between screen quality and battery life, at a generally lower cost, making it a solid choice for on-the-go productivity with fewer demands on graphic-intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
8.0/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 offers superior CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality dedicated GPU, coupled with exceptional screen quality, making it well-suited for demanding engineering and design tasks. While the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is still fine for engineering, it provides a balance of good performance and portability, with a strong focus on a comfortable keyboard and less operating noise, but doesn't match the MacBook Pro in raw power or screen fidelity.
Content Creation
8.8/10
8.2/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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
8.9/10
8.1/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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
9.4/10
6.9/10
16.2in
SIZE
13.3in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Pro 16's screen boasts high resolution, exceptional brightness, and wide color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, making it ideal for both general tasks and color-critical engineering and design work. However, it typically has a standard refresh rate, which limits its appeal for 3D applications where smoother motion is key. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 also offers a good resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and sufficient color accuracy for some engineering and design use, but like the MacBook Pro, it lacks the higher refresh rates required for the optimal 3D and gaming experience.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 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
Very Good
16.2in
SIZE
13.3in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$1,241
$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 ThinkPad X13 costs $1,241.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) to be good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is only fair.
The MacBook Pro 16 has a dedicated GPU and high screen quality which provides a smoother and more detailed visual experience essential for 3D work; however, its limited compatibility with many popular games can be a drawback for gaming. Conversely, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 may offer less powerful graphics performance and a lower screen refresh rate, but it supports a wider range of games, making it more versatile for gaming despite its somewhat lesser 3D capabilities.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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 Lenovo ThinkPad X13 G4 has very good input devices, a wide array of security features and ports as well as 5G in the tested configuration. It is more compact and lightweight compared with its predecessor, and it has improved speakers and a slightly better webcam. On the other hand, the fan is more annoying and the performance is barely improved. The battery is worse as well, but this is primarily attributable to the OLED screen - if this aspect is important, buyers should choose the IPS Low Power LCD."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
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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