If performance in tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering software is a priority, and you're open to a higher price, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is a strong choice; keep in mind though, it's heavier and has a larger form factor, making it less portable. On the other hand, if you're looking for something more portable, prefer a touchscreen, and are budget-conscious, then the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s may suit your needs. However, the ThinkBook's performance in intensive tasks won't match the MacBook Pro, and it also has a shorter battery life for typical usage. 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 ThinkBook 13s
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
9.1/10
7.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) shines for general use because of its powerful M2 Pro processor, abundant 16GB of RAM, and superior screen quality with high brightness and color accuracy, coupled with robust battery life and a larger, high-resolution display. Meanwhile, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s offers similar RAM capacity and a high-quality IPS display which is also good for general use but is more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, although it has a shorter battery life and a less powerful CPU compared to the MacBook Pro.
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
6.4/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is only fair.
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
8.8/10
7.5/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
9.1/10
7.8/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
7.7/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
7.2/10
16.2in
SIZE
13.3in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in screen quality for general use and engineering thanks to its high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and color accuracy, covering wide color gamuts essential for precise design work. However, for 3D applications where refresh rate matters most, it falls short as its focus is on visual fidelity rather than the fast refresh rates preferred in gaming. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s offers suitable screen quality for general tasks and engineering design with adequate resolution and color reproduction but shares the MacBook's limitation for 3D pursuits and gaming due to its standard refresh rate display.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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.
Portability
Good
Excellent
16.2in
SIZE
13.3in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has excellent 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
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,423
$1,000
$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 ThinkBook 13s costs $1,000.
"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 best thing about the ThinkBook 13S is that it’s a good deal. Business buyers looking for ThinkPad-level performance and software without ThinkPad pricing will probably find the ThinkBook a solid option. While nothing about it is really spectacular, it’s certainly unusual to see the ThinkBook’s screen resolution at a sub-$1,000 price, and its performance will be more than adequate for most office tasks. The generous port selection, 16:10 aspect ratio, physical webcam shutter, and clear audio are certainly icing on the cake."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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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