When deciding between the Apple MacBook Pro and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, if your priority is high performance for tasks like video editing or design work, along with a larger, high-quality display, the MacBook Pro is an excellent choice, but it comes at a higher price and it's heavier, making it less convenient to carry around. On the other hand, the ThinkPad T14 is more budget-friendly, highly portable, and has a keyboard layout often preferred by professionals; however, it may not handle demanding applications as smoothly as the MacBook Pro, and its display and build quality are generally considered to be less premium. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
Good for gaming and AI
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 ThinkPad T14
Very good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
6.7/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 (Late 2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 comes with a dedicated high-performance GPU and a quality display, making it suitable for heavy graphic tasks such as 3D modeling, but it's important to remember that it may not support many popular games. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, while capable of handling moderate gaming and 3D work due to its fair GPU and refresh rate, may not deliver as smooth or detailed an experience as the MacBook Pro, particularly for more intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
8.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
18.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 excels in engineering and design tasks due to its powerful CPU, abundant RAM for multitasking, advanced GPU for demanding graphics work, and a high-resolution screen that delivers exceptional clarity and color accuracy. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14, while offering quality performance with a solid CPU and ample RAM, has less graphics prowess and a lower screen quality, but gains an edge with its portability and renowned keyboard, making it a practical choice for those who prioritize comfort and mobility in their engineering work.
Content Creation
8.9/10
8.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
18.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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
8.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
18.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
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
6.9/10
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro's screen offers high resolution and brightness, making it excellent for everyday tasks and viewing intricate designs, while its wide color gamut ensures accurate color representation which is crucial for engineering and design work. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 also provides a good resolution and ample brightness for general and engineering tasks, with decent color coverage for professional work. However, both laptops lack high refresh rates, which diminishes their suitability for 3D tasks where smoother visuals are key to a better experience.
Battery
17.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has 9 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
Very Good
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,499
$1,241
$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 Lenovo ThinkPad T14 costs $1,241.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 offers a high-quality screen and powerful CPU which are excellent for demanding applications, and it's well-regarded for its long battery life, but it's less portable due to its size and weight. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14, with a reputation for a comfortable keyboard and robust build, also provides adequate performance with good portability at the expense of a less superior screen than the MacBook, making it a practical choice for on-the-go users who value battery life and ease of transport.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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."
"We like a lot about this laptop. It has many ports, with the inclusion of RJ45-Ethernet as a defining feature. WWAN is upgradable for maximum flexibility and the ThinkPad has many security functions. Working with the ThinkPad input devices is a lot of fun, and Lenovo puts in a serviceable Low Power panel. The AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U delivers a great performance and does not drain the battery fast. Fan noise and temperatures are nothing special, but also far away from bad. With the user replaceable keyboard, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a special feature rarely present on most modern laptops."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
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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