If you prioritize a laptop with high performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, the MSI GE66 Raider with its powerful processor and high-end GPU is a strong choice. However, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, which impacts portability. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) offers premium build quality, a longer battery life, and excellent display features with its Mini LED screen. It's better suited for general usage and tasks that benefit from MacOS. Additionally, the MacBook is more lightweight compared to the MSI, making it easier to carry around. If gaming is a core activity, the MSI with its high-refresh-rate display and dedicated gaming features would be preferable. On the flip side, if you're looking for a laptop that balances performance with a focus on creative work such as video editing or graphic design, the MacBook Pro's color-accurate display might be more beneficial. 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
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Good portability
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GE66 Raider
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
9.1/10
8.4/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the MSI GE66 Raider is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is appreciated for general use due to its high-quality CPU and RAM, exceptional screen quality, and strong battery life, all packed into a design that balances portability well. On the other hand, the MSI GE66 Raider also delivers on CPU and RAM, has a high-quality screen, but it leans more towards power users with its higher performance capabilities at the expense of portability and shorter battery life, making it a less optimal, yet still very capable, choice for general use.
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
8.6/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good 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.
Content Creation
9.1/10
8.4/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
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 MSI GE66 Raider 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
8.4/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and MSI GE66 Raider 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
8.2/10
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the MSI GE66 Raider for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 stands out in general use and engineering with its high-resolution Retina display, offering vivid colors and excellent brightness, and it also covers a wide color gamut, making it ideal for precision tasks like photo editing and graphic design. The MSI GE66 Raider, though very capable with its own high-quality display, may fall slightly short for professional design because it might not cover the color spectrum as extensively as the MacBook Pro. However, for 3D applications and gaming, the higher refresh rate of the GE66 Raider's screen makes it better suited for those seeking smoother motion and gameplay, whereas the MacBook’s focus on resolution and color accuracy over refresh rate makes it less ideal for such fast-paced visual content.
Battery
17.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GE66 Raider has 6 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
15.6in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has good portability, while the MSI GE66 Raider has only fair 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 MSI GE66 Raider 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
$3,199
$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 MSI GE66 Raider costs $3,199.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI GE66 Raider to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) delivers a solid combination of a powerful CPU and GPU packaged in a slimmer and lighter design with a high-resolution Mini LED screen, making it a strong choice for engineering and design but more portable and quiet.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the MSI GE66 Raider compare to other laptops
"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 MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the MSI GE66 Raider
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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