When choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the Dell Latitude 14 7490, consider the following: The MacBook Pro offers higher performance, a larger and more vibrant display with a higher resolution, and longer battery life, making it well-suited for demanding tasks like video editing and graphic design. It has a sleek build and MacOS operating system, which might be preferred for certain software applications unique to Apple's ecosystem. On the other hand, the Latitude 7490 is more budget-friendly, offers good performance for everyday office tasks, and is lighter, making it easier to carry around. It runs Windows 10 Pro, which could be essential for certain business environments or software compatibility. Ultimately, if budget is not an issue and you need top-tier performance with a premium display, go for the MacBook Pro, but if you need a cost-effective, sufficiently capable laptop for general use and value portability, the Latitude 7490 is a sensible choice. 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 (2023)
Excellent for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Excellent 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 Dell Latitude 14 7490
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
9.1/10
7.2/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in general use with a powerful CPU, ample RAM, exceptional screen quality, and remarkable battery life, although it is less portable; in contrast, the Dell Latitude 14 7490, also with sufficient RAM and a solid CPU for general tasks, offers good portability and battery life but falls short in screen quality and battery endurance compared to the MacBook Pro.
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
5.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is better suited for 3D applications due to its powerful M2 Pro GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 120, whereas the Dell Latitude 14 7490's Intel UHD Graphics provide more modest performance with a standard refresh rate of 60, making it adequate but not ideal for gaming and 3D tasks. However, keep in mind that the MacBook Pro uses MacOS, which may not support many popular games that are available on the Dell's Windows platform.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
6.5/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) provides a more powerful CPU and GPU compared to the Dell Latitude 14 7490, making it better suited for demanding engineering and design tasks; plus, it offers a higher-quality screen, which is pivotal for detailed work. The Dell Latitude, while less capable for intensive tasks and with a less impressive screen, is lighter and more portable, which could benefit users who prioritize mobility over raw performance.
Content Creation
9.1/10
7.3/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for content creation, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
7.1/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 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 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
9.3/10
6.7/10
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 14 7490 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16" typically offers a high-resolution Retina display with bright and vibrant colors, making it excellent for general use and design work due to its wide color coverage, including DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. In contrast, the Dell Latitude 14 7490's screen, while sufficient for general tasks and capable in representing a broad color spectrum for engineering and design, lacks the superior resolution and brightness found in the MacBook Pro. For 3D applications, the MacBook Pro's display falls short due to a lower refresh rate, which is less ideal for the smooth rendering of fast-moving images, while the Latitude's lower specs in resolution and panel type also result in subpar 3D performance.
Battery
17.5 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
3.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,423
$300
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has a price of $2,423 and the Dell Latitude 14 7490 costs $300.
"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 Dell Latitude 7490's got the speed you need (and then some), a keyboard that's comfortable enough for writing all day long and a battery that supports a full 8-hour workday. If only the display were brighter and it managed heat better. If you need every minute of battery life you can get, the extended-battery version of the Lenovo ThinkPad T480 lasts 8 hours longer than the Latitude 7490, but its display is much less colorful."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the Dell Latitude 14 7490
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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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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.
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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.
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Laptops Expert
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