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Updated January 12, 2024·
If performance in intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering software is a priority and you're willing to invest more, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels with robust processing capabilities and a vibrant display. It also offers a longer battery life which can be crucial for working on the go. However, if affordability is key and you're looking for a machine for general use, gaming, or light creative tasks, the MSI Thin GF63 offers decent performance at a lower cost. Keep in mind, portability is a strong suit for the MSI Thin GF63 due to its lighter design, but you'll sacrifice screen size and possibly build quality. 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 MSI Thin GF63
- The MSI Thin GF63 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
9.0
7.4
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the MSI Thin GF63 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in general use due to its high-performance CPU and GPU, ample RAM, exceptional screen quality with Mini LED technology, and long battery life, making it ideal for tasks that demand significant power and visual fidelity, though it is less portable and heavier than some alternatives. The MSI Thin GF63 is also good for general use with a capable CPU, decent RAM, and a standard IPS screen, but it falls behind the MacBook Pro in screen quality and battery life, it is, however, lighter and offers better portability for users on the go.
Engineering and Design
8.7
7.5
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Thin GF63 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in engineering and design tasks due to its high-quality CPU, double the RAM of the MSI Thin GF63, powerful integrated GPU, and superior Mini LED screen with a higher resolution and color accuracy, making it very good for these uses. Although the MSI Thin GF63 also offers a capable CPU and a discrete Nvidia GPU, its lower RAM, standard IPS screen with lesser resolution and color coverage, and lower overall component quality only make it a good, rather than very good, option for the same tasks.
Content Creation
8.8
7.4
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
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 MSI Thin GF63 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
7.2
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the MSI Thin GF63 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
6.8
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
262.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the MSI Thin GF63 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers a high-resolution, bright display with wide color gamut coverage, making it excellent for general use and engineering tasks where color accuracy is crucial. However, its screen refresh rate is typically lower, which hinders performance for 3D applications that demand quicker frame updates for smoother motion. On the other hand, the MSI Thin GF63 provides decent resolution and sufficient brightness for general tasks and engineering, but similar to the MacBook, it lacks a high refresh rate, crucial for gaming and 3D modeling, leading to a poorer experience in those scenarios.
Battery
17.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Thin GF63 has 4.5 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.
Build Quality
10.0
6.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Thin GF63 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
$1,150
$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 Thin GF63 costs $1,150.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.0
6.9
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) to be good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Thin GF63 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is equipped with a powerful integrated GPU and a high-resolution Mini LED display, making it suitable for 3D work despite its lower screen refresh rate and lack of certain popular games on the Mac platform. On the other hand, the MSI Thin GF63 includes a dedicated NVIDIA GPU and a higher 144Hz refresh rate display, aligning it well with 3D gaming requirements, offering compatibility with a broader range of games on Windows, and providing potential performance gains in GPU-intensive tasks.
Portability
Good
Good
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and MSI Thin GF63 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the MSI Thin GF63 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) | MSI Thin GF63 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,949 | $1,150 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 Pro (10C) | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 497 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
MSI Thin GF63
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Charles Jeffries | November 2022
"The MSI GF63 Thin 11SC can be an admirable value for gamers and power users on a minimal budget. For just $599 as reviewed in its base model, its Intel Core i5 H-class processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics perform much better than low-wattage CPUs and integrated graphics. That said, this is a light-class gaming laptop. Low scores in our demanding gaming benchmarks indicate using lower visual-quality settings will be required for playable performance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the MSI Thin GF63
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.
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