Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
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GENERAL USE: Excellent—9.0/10
GAMING/AI: Good—7.3/10
ENG/DESIGN: Very Good—8.9/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Excellent—9.1/10
CONTENT CREATION: Very Good—8.9/10
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) comes with a powerful Apple M2 Pro processor and advanced graphics, making it excellent for demanding tasks like video editing or software development. It has a large high-resolution Mini LED screen, which is great for creative professionals needing precise color representation but may not be as portable considering its size and weight. With 512 GB of storage and 32 GB of RAM, it should handle most applications smoothly. The build quality is top-notch and the keyboard is acclaimed for its comfort. Battery life is strong, offering extended use between charges, but the high-end price reflects the premium features. It doesn't cater to intensive gaming, lacking features like hardware ray tracing and DLSS found in dedicated gaming laptops. If you need a high-performance laptop for professional work with a focus on display quality and battery life, and budget is less of a concern, the MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is an outstanding 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-quality keyboard and speakers
- Exceptional build and heat management
- Powerful Apple M2 Pro processor
- Impressive battery life for general use
- Excellent screen color fidelity
Cons
- Relatively heavy for portability
- Lacks touchscreen capabilities
- Minimal available RAM and storage slots
- Limited port variety, no Ethernet
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.
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.
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.
General Use:4.7
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in general use due to its high-performance CPU and ample RAM, which ensure smooth multitasking and responsive software usage. It also features a high-quality Mini LED screen with exceptional brightness and color accuracy, while offering a good balance between battery life and portability despite its larger size.
Engineering & Design:4.7
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in engineering and design due to its powerful M2 Pro processor with 12 cores and a strong 19-core GPU, paired with ample 32GB RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and complex computations. Its 16.2-inch Mini LED screen offers outstanding color accuracy and high brightness, making it ideal for detailed visual work.
Content Creation:4.7
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.
Portability:4.2
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
Gaming & AI:4.1
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is well-suited for 3D due to its powerful Apple M2 Pro GPU with 19 cores that can handle complex visual workloads and a high screen refresh rate of 120 Hz which offers smooth visuals necessary for 3D rendering and animation. Additionally, the high-resolution Mini LED display provides superior screen quality, enhancing the detail and vibrancy of 3D graphics.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $2,899 | ||
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 | 512 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 | ||
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."
Comparison charts
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