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Updated January 10, 2024·
Since you're deciding between the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the Lenovo Legion 9i, consider the following tradeoffs. The MacBook Pro is known for its high-quality build, excellent display, and long battery life, making it ideal for professional creative work, general use, and for those invested in the Apple ecosystem. It has enough power for most tasks but is more optimized for media editing than gaming. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 9i is designed for high-performance gaming and may include more powerful graphics hardware suitable for gaming and virtual reality, though this often comes at the expense of shorter battery life and heavier weight, impacting portability. If your primary use is gaming or you require a machine capable of handling demanding games, the Legion 9i could be a better choice, whereas if you value long battery life, premium build, and creative tasks, the MacBook Pro may be more suitable. Keep in mind, the MacBook Pro is often less expensive, which is an important factor in your decision. 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
- Excellent for content creation
- Best in class overall build quality
- Good portability
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 9i
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Best in class overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
9.1
8.4
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the Lenovo Legion 9i is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use due to its high-quality screen, strong CPU performance, and long battery life, all wrapped in a more portable and lightweight design, while the Lenovo Legion 9i stands out with its even more powerful CPU and double the RAM, which provides exceptional multitasking capabilities and suits demanding tasks, but with reduced battery life and portability. Both laptops offer high-resolution mini LED screens and ample storage, with Apple prioritizing user experience with a higher screen brightness and better speakers, keyboard, and build quality, whereas Lenovo emphasizes top-notch gaming features and hardware customization options.
Gaming and AI
7.4
9.2
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.8
9.6
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) offers a balance between performance and portability, with a high-quality screen and an integrated GPU suited for engineering and design tasks, while being lighter and having a longer battery life compared to its competitor.
Software Development
8.9
8.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and Lenovo Legion 9i are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is somewhat better.
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
9.7
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 9i for software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen for general use, and gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a high-resolution screen with excellent brightness and color gamut coverage, which makes it ideal for general use and engineering tasks by allowing accurate color representation and detail. Despite these qualities, it lacks a high refresh rate which is crucial for a smooth 3D rendering experience. Similarly, the Lenovo Legion 9i boasts a display with exceptional color accuracy and brightness that benefits engineers and designers, but it falls short for gaming and 3D purposes as it doesn't prioritize the high refresh rate that's critical for those tasks.
Battery
17.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 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
Fair
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,423
$3,420
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has a price of $2,423 and the Lenovo Legion 9i costs $3,420.
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Key similarities
Content Creation
9.1
8.7
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) to be excellent for content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 9i 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the Lenovo Legion 9i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) | Lenovo Legion 9i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,423 | $3,420 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 5.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.08" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 10.93" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 Pro (12C) | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 3200 x 2000 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 682 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 9.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"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."
Lenovo Legion 9i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | December 2023
"The Lenovo Legion 9i is meant as a top-end flagship showcase for enthusiasts, and on that, it delivers. You'll find flashier designs in this price tier—Razer’s all-metal build in a similarly sized laptop like the Blade 16, or monstrous 18-inch machines—but this is a well-thought-out laptop. The chassis is trim for a 16-inch powerhouse, the lid is unique, and bespoke liquid cooling takes performance to the next level."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the Lenovo Legion 9i
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.
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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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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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