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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) offers superior screen quality, longer battery life, and higher performance for general use, engineering tasks, and creative applications due to its powerful internal components. Additionally, it's a better choice for professional environments with demanding software needs. However, it comes at a premium price compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, which is more affordable and offers good performance for gaming with its dedicated graphics card. The MSI laptop is also slightly lighter and has a higher refresh rate display which is beneficial for gaming. So, if budget and gaming are your primary concerns, the MSI could be a better choice, but for top-tier performance in professional tasks, the MacBook Pro is the better option. 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 general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- 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 MSI GF65 Thin
- The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.8
6.5
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels in general use due to its superior CPU, higher amount of RAM, exceptional screen quality with a high-resolution Mini LED display, and long battery life, all packed in a chassis that is lightweight, enhancing its portability.
Gaming and AI
7.5
6.8
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 with its high-quality GPU and superior screen quality provides robust performance for 3D tasks, although its lower screen refresh rate might not be optimal for the most fluid gaming experience and some popular games may not be compatible with macOS. The MSI GF65 Thin, while offering a higher screen refresh rate favored by gamers for smooth visuals, may fall short in GPU performance compared to the MacBook Pro, affecting its ability to handle more demanding 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.9
6.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
18.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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 and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.9
6.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
18.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
18.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.8
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 offers a high-resolution display with brilliant brightness and panel technology that ensures crisp and vivid images for everyday tasks, while its wide color gamut provides accurate colors crucial for engineering and design work. However, it lacks a high refresh rate, affecting the smoothness necessary for 3D content and gaming. The MSI GF65 Thin has a decent display for the price, adequate for general and engineering use, but the lower refresh rate does not provide the optimal experience for 3D applications and gaming, where fluid motion is key.
Battery
17.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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
6.7
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,499
$1,100
$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 MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and MSI GF65 Thin both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,499 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 Pro (12C) | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 18 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the MSI GF65 Thin
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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