The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is much more expensive and provides a premium build quality, better display with higher resolution and color accuracy, significantly longer battery life, and a more powerful processor suited for tasks like video editing, music production, and graphic design. The MSI Bravo 15, while much less expensive, features a dedicated gaming graphics card suitable for gaming and 3D rendering but has a lower battery life and a less color-accurate display, making it less ideal for professional creative work. If you prioritize gaming or have a tighter budget, the MSI Bravo 15 could be a fit, but for intensive creative tasks and a more premium experience, the MacBook Pro is the stronger option. 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
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Good portability
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Bravo 15
The MSI Bravo 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
7.1/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the MSI Bravo 15 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is preferred for general use because of its superior CPU and RAM, exceptional screen quality, lighter weight for better portability, and a longer battery life. In contrast, the MSI Bravo 15, while adequate, offers less RAM, lower screen quality, a slightly heavier build which affects portability, and has a significantly shorter battery life, which may limit its utility in mobile or extended use scenarios.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
7.2/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Bravo 15 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is better suited for engineering and design due to its powerful CPU, vast RAM, and advanced GPU, delivering high performance and screen quality to handle complex tasks efficiently. On the other hand, the MSI Bravo 15, with a competent CPU and GPU, less RAM, and good screen quality, offers a more budget-friendly option while still being capable for engineering and design, though with potentially lower performance compared to the MacBook Pro.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.1/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the MSI Bravo 15 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
6.8/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the MSI Bravo 15 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
6.9/10
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the MSI Bravo 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Pro 16 boasts a high-resolution display and exceptional brightness, offering vivid and sharp visuals for everyday tasks and detail-oriented work in engineering and design, enhanced further by its wide color gamut coverage, ensuring accurate color reproduction. On the other hand, the MSI Bravo 15, while offering decent resolution and brightness for general use, may not provide as accurate or wide-ranging color representation for professional design tasks due to more limited color gamut support. Additionally, for 3D work where the smoothness of motion is crucial, the MSI's lower refresh rate can make it less suitable for such high-frame-rate requirements compared to laptops with faster screens.
Battery
17.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Bravo 15 has 6 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
15.6in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability, while the MSI Bravo 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Bravo 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$862
$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 MSI Bravo 15 costs $862.
The MSI Bravo 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both good for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is well-suited for 3D tasks with its high GPU performance and high-resolution Mini LED display to deliver detailed visuals, but its lower screen refresh rate and lack of support for many popular games make it less ideal for gaming.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the MSI Bravo 15 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."
"Overall, the MSI Bravo 15 C7U is a great gaming device for the masses that isn’t too pricey. The capable hardware (for the price range), the 144Hz display, and the comfortable keyboard are one of the things that should attract buyers who don’t want to spend a fortune on a new gaming laptop."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the MSI Bravo 15
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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