If your primary concern is high-end performance and you have a larger budget, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 is better suited for tasks like video editing or software development, but it's heavier so less portable. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is more affordable, it offers good performance for everyday tasks like browsing or office applications, and it's lightweight making it easy to carry around, though it won't handle intensive tasks as smoothly as the MacBook Pro. Consider your primary use and whether portability or power is more critical for your needs. 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)
Good for gaming and AI
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 MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.8/10
8.0/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo are both very good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with its high-quality CPU and RAM, delivers exceptional performance and screen quality for demanding applications, but it is less portable due to its size, compromising on battery life. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo offers a balance with good performance, lighter weight, and longer battery life, which is ideal for users needing a balance between power and portability without as large a screen.
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
6.8/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with its dedicated GPU, excels in handling 3D tasks and applications, but its screen refresh rate might not be optimal for fast-paced gaming, and also, some popular games might not be compatible with its operating system. Meanwhile, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo's fair gaming and 3D performance can be attributed to its GPU capabilities along with a decent screen refresh rate, but it may fall short compared to the Apple MacBook Pro when it comes to more resource-intensive 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
8.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 offers a powerful CPU, ample RAM, and a dedicated GPU that excel in demanding tasks like engineering software and high-end design, complemented by a high-resolution screen that enhances visual work, but its larger size affects portability. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, while also providing a robust CPU and sufficient RAM for various engineering applications, has a more portable design and a quality keyboard, but its integrated GPU and speakers may not match the performance of the MacBook Pro when handling graphics-intensive tasks or delivering rich audio.
Content Creation
8.9/10
8.1/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
8.8/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
8.2/10
16.2in
SIZE
13.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 offers a high-resolution display with excellent brightness and wide color gamuts, like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, making it ideal for tasks that require color accuracy, such as engineering and design, but its typical 60Hz refresh rate isn’t optimal for 3D work where higher refresh rates are preferred. The MSI Prestige 13 AI's screen also provides sharp images and good brightness for general tasks, with competitive color gamut coverage that benefits engineering and design applications, yet it falls short for gaming and 3D because, like the MacBook, it likely has a lower refresh rate not suited for such high-motion activities. General use emphasizes resolution and brightness which both laptops handle well, but for specialized tasks like 3D, a quicker screen refresh is critical, an area where neither laptop excels.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has 8 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
13.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,499
$1,280
$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 Prestige 13 AI Evo costs $1,280.
"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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
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.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
102,495
Recommendations made
22,208
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.