Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
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GENERAL USE: Excellent—9.4/10
GAMING/AI: Good—7.4/10
ENG/DESIGN: Excellent—9.1/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Excellent—9.3/10
CONTENT CREATION: Excellent—9.3/10
PORTABILITY: Good—7.6/10
BATTERY: Best in Class—9.5/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Best in Class—9.5/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Very Good—8.5/10
SIZE: 16.2"
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is a high-end laptop with a robust main processor and a powerful integrated GPU, making it suitable for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering work. It has a large 16.2-inch Mini LED display with a high resolution, offering exceptional color accuracy and brightness. The laptop has 32GB RAM and 1TB of storage, providing ample space and memory for demanding applications. With a weight of 4.7 pounds and a thickness of 0.66 inches, it's relatively portable for its size, but there are lighter options available. It has a long battery life, lasting for extensive hours on a typical use. The build quality and speakers are rated as excellent, and it includes a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for added security and convenience. However, it comes at a high-end price, and there are no available slots for RAM or storage expansion. If you prioritize performance and display quality over cost and expandability, this MacBook Pro can be a great choice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- High-resolution screen
- Long battery life
- Powerful M2 Pro chip
- Excellent speaker quality
- MacOS operating system
Cons
- Heavier than competitors
- No touchscreen option
- Limited port selection
- Expensive price point
Ratings by Category
Build Quality:5.0
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, chassis rigidity, and overall reliability.
Our assessment of build quality includes many details that are difficult to quantify.
Our laptop experts use their best judgment to produce the final score.
General Use:4.9
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in general use due to its powerful main processor and substantial RAM, which ensure smooth multitasking and fast performance for everyday tasks. Additionally, its high-quality Mini LED display offers vivid colors and excellent brightness, contributing to a visually impressive experience, while its robust battery life and portability make it a versatile option for users on the go.
Battery Life:4.9
PerfectRec’s Battery Life rating is based on hours of battery life in typical usage scenarios.
General Use Screen Quality:4.9
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
Keyboard Quality:4.9
The Keyboard Quality score is based on the PerfectRec experts’ assessment of tactile feedback, typing comfort, keyboard reliability and typing noise.
Engineering & Design:4.8
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, CAD and 3D work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Software Development:4.8
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Content Creation:4.8
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, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Operating Noise:4.6
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Gaming & AI:4.2
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in 3D due to its powerful Apple M2 Pro GPU which ensures smooth rendering of complex visuals. Moreover, its exceptional screen quality with a high contrast ratio and comprehensive color coverage enhances the visual experience for 3D work.
Portability:4.2
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $2,599 | ||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | ||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | ||
Width | 14.01" | ||
Depth | 9.77" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Apple M2 Pro (12C) | ||
RAM | 32 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | ||
RAM Slots | 0 | ||
Storage | 1024 GB | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | ||
Display Technology | Mini LED | ||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | ||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 10/10 | ||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | ||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | ||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | ||
Webcam | 1080p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | ||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | ||
Number Pad | No | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 0 | ||
USB-C ports | 3 | ||
USB-C Charging | Yes | ||
Display Outputs | 2 | ||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | ||
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Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
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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."
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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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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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