If you prioritize top-notch performance for demanding tasks and prefer a larger, high-resolution display, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is an excellent choice, albeit at a higher cost; however, if portability and budget-friendliness are more important, and your computing needs are moderate, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is a compelling option due to its compact size and lower price, though you will sacrifice some performance and screen real estate. Consider how you plan to use your laptop and whether the additional investment in the MacBook Pro aligns with your needs for power and visual space. 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
Good for gaming and AI
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 ThinkPad X13
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
9.1/10
8.4/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 offers a robust CPU and high RAM capacity, ensuring smooth performance for demanding applications, along with a top-notch screen quality, but its larger size makes it less portable and it might be heavier to carry around than the more compact Lenovo ThinkPad X13, which still provides adequate power for general tasks and is known for its keyboard quality and durability, albeit with a smaller screen and a battery that may not last as long as the MacBook's. Both laptops offer substantial storage and manage heat and operating noise well, with the MacBook often having an edge in speaker quality.
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
6.7/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 ThinkPad X13 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has a high-quality GPU and a good screen refresh rate that benefit demanding 3D applications, but its gaming options can be limited since many popular games aren't compatible with macOS. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, while it has a capable GPU and adequate screen refresh rate for gaming, might not offer the same level of screen quality and CPU performance as the MacBook, which could impact the smoothness and visual detail in games and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
8.0/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 comes with a high-performance CPU, ample RAM, and a powerful GPU, which, combined with its excellent screen quality, makes it ideal for demanding engineering tasks and detailed design work. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, while still competent for engineering with good CPU and RAM, trades off some GPU performance and screen luxury for better portability and a renowned keyboard, making it a practical choice for professionals on the move.
Content Creation
9.1/10
8.2/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for content creation, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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.
Software Development
8.9/10
8.1/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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
9.3/10
6.9/10
16.2in
SIZE
13.3in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 stands out for its vivid, high-resolution and bright screen, which makes it ideal for everyday tasks and professional design work, as it covers a wide color spectrum including DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, important for accurate color rendering. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 also offers a high-quality display with good resolution and brightness for general tasks and sufficient color coverage for engineering and design, although it falls short of the MacBook Pro's standards. For 3D applications, however, both laptops are less suitable due to their screens' lower refresh rates, which can't match gaming-focused models that prioritize smoother visuals in fast-paced scenes.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 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
13.3in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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
$1,241
$500
$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 ThinkPad X13 costs $1,241.
"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 ThinkPad X13 G4 has very good input devices, a wide array of security features and ports as well as 5G in the tested configuration. It is more compact and lightweight compared with its predecessor, and it has improved speakers and a slightly better webcam. On the other hand, the fan is more annoying and the performance is barely improved. The battery is worse as well, but this is primarily attributable to the OLED screen - if this aspect is important, buyers should choose the IPS Low Power LCD."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Laptops Expert
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