For top-tier graphics and gaming, the MSI Titan 18 HX offers exceptional performance, but it's heavier and likely has shorter battery life, making it less portable than the Apple MacBook Pro 16. The MacBook Pro offers a balance of performance and portability with a longer battery life, and it's more affordable, which makes it suitable for professional work and general use. If you prioritize raw power for gaming or intensive tasks and don't mind the extra weight and cost, the MSI is the better fit; for everyday use, multimedia work, and better mobility, the MacBook Pro is recommended. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Excellent for general use
Best in class overall build quality
Good portability
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Excellent for content creation
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
9.4/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021), with its high-quality screen and capable GPU, offers solid performance for 3D applications, but is less suited for gaming, especially considering many popular games are not compatible with macOS. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX boasts a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, providing exceptional gaming and 3D performance, outshining the MacBook in these areas.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
9.9/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good.
The MacBook Pro 16 offers a solid balance between performance with its high-quality CPU, RAM, GPU, and excellent screen, while also having a premium build that ensures a good keyboard, speakers, and lower operating noise; however, it's less portable due to its size and weight. The MSI Titan 18 HX, on the other hand, excels in delivering top-tier performance needed for the most demanding engineering tasks due to its superior CPU, RAM, and GPU, and larger screen, but this comes at the cost of portability and often results in louder operating noise.
Screen Quality
9.4/10
9.2/10
16.2in
SIZE
18.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 16 for software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) boasts a high-resolution and bright display with broad color gamuts, making it excellent for general use and engineering/design tasks that require accurate color representation. However, it lacks a high refresh rate, which is crucial for 3D applications where fluid motion is key. The MSI Titan 18 HX, while also offering a high-resolution screen with wide color coverage suitable for professional use and design work, doesn't prioritize the high refresh rates needed for smooth gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
17.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
16.2in
SIZE
18.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor 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 MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,800
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,949 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) to be excellent for general use, while the MSI Titan 18 HX is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in general use due to its impressive combination of a powerful CPU, ample RAM, exceptional screen quality, and a balance between battery life and portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX, although very good for general use with a robust CPU and generous RAM, is less portable and has a shorter battery life but might appeal to those prioritizing screen size and power over mobility. Both laptops offer high-quality storage, keyboards, speakers, and manage heat and operating noise well, enhancing their overall user experience.
Content Creation
8.8/10
9.0/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Titan 18 HX to be excellent for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very 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
8.9/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and MSI Titan 18 HX are both very good for software development.
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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the MSI Titan 18 HX 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."
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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