If investing more for high performance, especially for tasks like video editing or programming, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 with its premium build, and powerful, integrated Apple processors is ideal. However, the Gigabyte Aero 16 is less expensive and offers ample storage, with a dedicated graphics card suitable for gaming and 3D work. The MacBook excels in battery life, but it's heavier and less suited for gaming. The Aero, with its OLED screen, may be preferable for color-sensitive work but has a shorter battery life. Decide based on whether performance, portability, intended use or price is your priority. 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 (Late 2023)
Very good for software development
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 Gigabyte Aero 16
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.8/10
8.0/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Gigabyte Aero 16 are both very good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels in general use with its efficient CPU and longer battery life, as well as a high-quality screen, which is further enhanced by excellent speaker and keyboard quality; it's also more portable due to being lighter.
Content Creation
8.9/10
8.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Gigabyte Aero 16 are both very good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
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
7.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 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
8.4/10
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aero 16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When choosing a laptop for general use, the Apple MacBook Pro 16's vibrant display, high resolution, and brightness offer a premium visual experience. For engineering and design professionals, the MacBook's wide color gamut, covering both DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, ensures accurate color representation for detailed work. However, for 3D applications, the Gigabyte Aero 16's slower refresh rate, despite its good resolution and screen technology, may not provide the smooth visuals necessary for optimal gaming or 3D rendering.
Battery
17.5 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aero 16 has 7 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,499
$1,260
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a price of $2,499 and the Gigabyte Aero 16 costs $1,260.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) are both good for gaming and AI.
The Asus offers better performance for intensive engineering tasks, but if you value portability over power, you might prefer a different model that is lighter and easier to carry around. The price for such performance is higher, but if your priority is having a machine that can handle demanding software like 3D rendering or gaming, it could be worth the investment. Additionally, keep in mind that high-performance laptops often have shorter battery life due to more powerful hardware, so consider if you'll have frequent access to power outlets or if battery longevity is crucial for your use.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
8.6/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Gigabyte Aero 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels in engineering and design tasks with a high-performance CPU, ample RAM, a strong GPU dedicated to processing graphics, and a high-quality Mini LED screen, but it's heavier and might be less portable than other options. In contrast, the Gigabyte Aero 16 also offers robust performance with a powerful Intel CPU, plenty of RAM, a high-end Nvidia graphics card, and boasts an OLED display renowned for deep colors and contrast, though its battery life may limit how long you can work untethered. Both laptops have quality keyboards and manage operating noise well, with the MacBook standing out for its speaker quality.
Portability
Good
Good
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Gigabyte Aero 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the Gigabyte Aero 16 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 Gigabyte Aero 16 is a workstation laptop for light gaming. It's design is still muted, with a silver chassis alongside a black keyboard and trackpad that provides some contrast. The Gigabyte Aero’s full-size chiclet-style keyboard is enjoyable to type on thanks to its snappy feel and responsiveness. The 4K+ AMOLED display is good, but it could be better. It doesn’t handle true black very well and suffers from strong reflections and glare. The Gigabyte Aero excels at productivity performance and can keep up with other gaming laptops in 1080p. But it has very few ports and its refresh rate leaves a bit to be desired."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the Gigabyte Aero 16
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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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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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Laptops Expert
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