If cost is a significant factor for you, the MSI Prestige 14 offers affordability with competent performance for general use and productivity tasks. However, if you prioritize top-tier performance for demanding applications, like video editing or 3D modeling, and you value a larger, high-quality display, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) stands out but comes with a higher price tag. The MacBook Pro also typically offers a more robust build quality and potentially better resale value over time. Keep in mind that the MacBook Pro is less portable due to its size and weight compared to the lighter and more compact MSI Prestige 14, which could be an important consideration if you travel frequently or work on the go. Additionally, the MacBook Pro usually delivers longer battery life, while the MSI might require more frequent charging during the day. Finally, your decision may be influenced by your preferred operating system, as the MacBook Pro runs macOS and the MSI runs Windows, which cater to different user needs and software compatibilities. 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 Prestige 14
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.8/10
7.5/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the MSI Prestige 14 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
6.2/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
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 14 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 boasts a high refresh rate screen and a robust 18-core GPU, making it well-suited for 3D tasks, despite its macOS which limits game compatibility. Conversely, the MSI Prestige 14 offers a fair gaming experience thanks to its decent CPU and integrated graphics, but it trails with a standard refresh rate screen and less powerful GPU, making it just satisfactory for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
7.1/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 14 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 excels in engineering and design due to its high-resolution Mini LED screen, which covers a wide color gamut and is paired with a powerful CPU and GPU; on the other hand, the MSI Prestige 14 falls short of the MacBook mainly in screen quality and graphics performance, even though it offers considerable portability and competes closely with its CPU and RAM capabilities.
Content Creation
8.9/10
7.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the MSI Prestige 14 is good.
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
7.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 14 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
6.9/10
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 excels in screen quality for general use and engineering with its high-resolution display and bright panel that provides clear and vibrant visuals, as well as wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation necessary for professional design work. Although great for these tasks, it lacks a high refresh rate that is crucial for smooth visuals in 3D applications, which can make it less suited for tasks like 3D modeling or gaming that benefit from smoother motion. The MSI Prestige 14, while offering a good quality display for everyday tasks and sufficient color accuracy for design, also falls short in the gaming and 3D departments due to its less capable refresh rate.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 14 has 8.5 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 14 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 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,499
$1,040
$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 14 costs $1,040.
"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 MSI Prestige 14” is excellent for productivity and business use cases, but it is not ideal for creators or visual content editors. The Prestige was able to power through days of email, spreadsheets, and text documents without breaking a sweat and was a joy to use. The additional ports were a breath of fresh air, as most laptops seem to be moving towards just Thunderbolt ports. The security options made signing in effortless, with two quick, more secure, and faster options than even the most complex alphanumeric passcode."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the MSI Prestige 14
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.
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CEO and Laptops Editor
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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