To assist you with your decision, let's consider the main factors for the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the Razer Blade 14.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 appeals to those needing a larger screen, longer battery life, and a preference for MacOS, which is ideal for creative professionals such as video editors and graphic designers due to its strong software ecosystem. Its construction is robust, and it's known for excellent display quality and sound, but it is heavier and less portable.
The Razer Blade 14, on the other hand, is excellent for gaming and Windows-based productivity, thanks to its powerful graphics card and high-refresh-rate display, which are key for smooth gaming and 3D applications. It is more compact and portable, suitable for carrying around, but this might come at the expense of shorter battery life and a smaller screen, which could be a disadvantage for tasks that require a larger display.
Consider your primary use — for professional creative work, the MacBook Pro might be more suitable, but if you're focused on gaming or prefer a Windows ecosystem with the flexibility to handle intensive tasks on-the-go, the Razer Blade 14 could be the better 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 software development
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 Razer Blade 14
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
8.1/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
328.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the Razer Blade 14 is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is considered very good for general use due to its high-quality Mini LED screen, superior keyboard and speaker quality, and a long battery life of around 17.5 hours, which also benefits from a robust heat management system and a quiet operation. The Razer Blade 14, while also having an excellent keyboard and very good overall build, shines with its impressive portability due to its lighter weight and smaller screen, coupled with its efficient heat management, although it has a shorter battery life of around 9.5 hours.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
7.9/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Razer Blade 14 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both good for gaming and AI, though the Razer Blade 14 is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 with its Apple GPU is proficient for 3D tasks and offers a high screen refresh rate for smooth visuals, although its operating system may limit the availability of popular games. The Razer Blade 14, with its Nvidia GPU and even higher screen refresh rate, is tailored for high-performance gaming and can run a wider variety of games on its Windows OS.
Content Creation
8.8/10
8.1/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Razer Blade 14 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
7.9/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Razer Blade 14 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
9.4/10
8.0/10
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
328.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Razer Blade 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has an exceptional display with high resolution and brightness, making it outstanding for general use and engineering, where precise colors and clear, sharp images are crucial. Due to its expansive color gamut coverage, it meets the specific needs for color accuracy in engineering and design. However, the MacBook's screen may not be ideal for 3D purposes because it typically lacks the high refresh rate preferred for smooth motion in 3D environments, which is a strength of displays tailored to gaming laptops like the Razer Blade 14.
Battery
17.5 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 14 has 9.5 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
14.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Razer Blade 14 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 Razer Blade 14 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Razer Blade 14 are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Cost
$1,949
$1,965
$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 Razer Blade 14 costs $1,965.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the Razer Blade 14 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."
"After making a huge splash with the original 2021 model, it's expected that the 2022 refresh would be more of a minor update to an already impressive machine. It adds a higher resolution webcam (720p to 1080p), faster CPU (Ryzen 9 5900HX to Ryzen 9 6900HX), faster GPU (RTX 3070/3080 to 3070/3080 Ti), faster RAM (DDR4-3200 to DDR5-4800), faster M.2 SSD support (PCIe3 x4 to PCIe4 x4), newer WLAN module (Killer AX1690i to Qualcomm WCN685x), and a MUX switch for the new integrated Radeon 680M GPU. It's indubitably an upgrade especially in terms of single-thread processor performance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the Razer Blade 14
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
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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.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
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.