Updated January 10, 2024·Prices updated 24 hours ago
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) offers superior performance and build quality, making it well-suited for professional tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, and software development that demand top-tier hardware. Its display is excellent for visual work, and the Apple ecosystem provides seamless integration if you use other Apple devices. The battery life is impressive, too, allowing for longer use without charging. On the other hand, if cost is a major concern and your tasks are more general, like browsing the internet, using office software, or light photo editing, the Gateway 15.6" could be a wise and economical choice. However, the lower price reflects in its performance, build quality, and probably shorter battery life, which may not be ideal for more demanding applications or prolonged use away from a power source. If portability is important to you, the MacBook Pro is larger and heavier; consider if that aligns with your needs for mobile use. 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 Gateway 15.6"
The Gateway 15.6" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
9.1/10
7.0/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the Gateway 15.6" is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
6.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in 3D applications due to its powerful integrated GPU and the benefit of a high screen refresh rate, despite the fact that macOS limits game compatibility. In comparison, the Gateway 15.6" showcases a moderate performing GPU suitable for gaming and 3D tasks on Windows, but with a standard refresh rate, it may not provide as smooth an experience as the MacBook Pro.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
6.2/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in engineering and design thanks to its high-performance Apple M2 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM, advanced GPU capable of intensive graphics work, and a superior Mini LED screen with higher resolution and color accuracy.
Content Creation
9.1/10
7.0/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
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 Gateway 15.6" 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
6.7/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" 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
9.3/10
6.1/10
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16's high-resolution, bright display with wide color gamuts makes it ideal for general use and engineering tasks, offering crisp detail and accurate color representation that professionals require. However, its typical refresh rate is not suited for 3D applications where a higher refresh rate is crucial for smooth visuals. In contrast, the Gateway 15.6" offers an adequate display for general activities and engineering, but it lacks the screen performance for gaming and 3D tasks due to its lesser refresh rate and color accuracy.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" has 8 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
10.0/10
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,423
$600
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has a price of $2,423 and the Gateway 15.6" costs $600.
"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."
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the Gateway 15.6"
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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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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 is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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