The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is a high-end device with more storage, memory, and a stronger processor and GPU, suitable for demanding tasks like engineering and creative work; expect longer battery life and a superior display than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5, but at a significantly higher cost and with greater weight. Meanwhile, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" offers a more budget-friendly option with decent performance for general use and the flexibility of a touchscreen, in a lighter package that makes it more portable, though with less power for intensive tasks and a standard display 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 (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 Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
9.1/10
7.4/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
341.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is highly suited for general use due to its powerful Apple M2 Pro processor and 16 GB of RAM which ensure smooth multitasking and high performance, along with a superior screen quality featuring a Mini LED display with high brightness and color coverage, contributing to a visually stunning experience. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" offers decent performance for general use with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and 8 GB of RAM, an IPS screen with good color coverage, and has the advantage of being lighter thus more portable, but it falls behind in battery life and overall display richness.
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
6.2/10
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
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is good for 3D because it has a dedicated GPU with high performance and a screen that supports a 120 Hz refresh rate for smooth visuals; additionally, many popular games are not compatible with the Apple's MacOS.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
6.7/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) surpasses the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" in engineering and design thanks to its superior CPU, more RAM, and a more powerful GPU, which are crucial for such tasks, alongside a higher-quality screen. While the Lenovo is lighter and potentially more convenient to carry around, its lower specs in these key areas make it less suitable for demanding engineering and design work.
Content Creation
9.1/10
7.3/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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
7.3/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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
6.5/10
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
341.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Apple MacBook Pro 16's screen is superior due to its high resolution and brightness, along with an advanced panel type that provides crisp and clear visuals, making it ideal for everyday tasks such as browsing and streaming. In engineering and design, the MacBook Pro excels as well, with wide color gamuts ensuring accurate color representation for professional photo editing, graphic design, or CAD work. However, for 3D applications and gaming, the Lenovo IdeaPad may fall short compared to gaming-focused laptops, as it likely has a lower refresh rate and less optimal resolution and panel type, which can result in less fluid motion and detail.
Battery
17.5 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 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
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,423
$690
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has a price of $2,423 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" costs $690.
"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 Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is convincing due to its long battery life. The device scores points especially with its large battery and long battery runtimes combined with its low consumption. The CPU and GPU perform in the test as one would expect, and in line with what was familiar from the somewhat smaller 14-inch sister model, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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