Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
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GENERAL USE: Very Good—8.8/10
GAMING/AI: Good—7.5/10
ENG/DESIGN: Very Good—8.9/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Very Good—8.9/10
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—8.4/10
SIZE: 16.2"
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is positioned at a premium price point and is equipped with a large 512 GB storage capacity and 18 GB of RAM to handle demanding tasks efficiently. Featuring Apple's M3 Pro processor and an integrated 18-core GPU, it's well-suited for professionals in creative fields needing high performance for tasks like video editing and design. It boasts a 16.2-inch Mini LED display with high brightness and wide color coverage, making it excellent for color-sensitive work. With a weight of 4.7 pounds and a battery life that can last for an extended period, it balances portability with endurance. The machine includes multiple USB-C and Thunderbolt ports for connectivity, though it lacks a built-in Ethernet port. Its backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader, and high-quality speakers add to a premium user experience; however, its heft and cost may be less appealing for those seeking a budget-friendly or highly portable option. 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
- Solid build quality
- Excellent speaker quality
- Outstanding webcam
Cons
- Heavier than competitors
- Moderate port variety
- No available RAM slots
- No facial recognition
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.
General Use:4.7
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels in general use due to its high-quality Mini LED screen, efficient Apple M3 Pro processor, and substantial RAM, which together provide exceptional screen clarity, smooth multitasking, and ultimately, a responsive user experience. Additionally, with its long battery life, light weight for its size, and top-rated keyboard and speakers, it's comfortable for extended use and offers multimedia enjoyment without the frequent need to reach for a charger.
Engineering & Design:4.7
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels in engineering and design due to its powerful Apple M3 Pro processor and 18-core GPU, providing excellent performance for demanding software used in these fields. Additionally, its high-quality Mini LED screen, with significant color accuracy and brightness, ensures meticulous detail for design work, while features like the backlit keyboard and high-quality speakers contribute positively to user experience.
Software Development:4.7
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:4.7
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.
Gaming & AI:4.2
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability as well as AI performance, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
While performance (especially graphics performance) is the most important factor determining this score, we also give modest weight to screen quality, heat management, keyboard quality, and storage.
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 | $2,199 | ||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | ||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | ||
Width | 14.01" | ||
Depth | 9.77" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Apple M3 Pro (12C) | ||
RAM | 18 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 | ||
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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