The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is a more suitable choice if you prioritize longer battery life and superior screen quality for tasks such as photo and video editing, thanks to its Mini LED display with high resolution, brightness, and color coverage. Alternatively, the MSI Stealth GS66 is a better fit if you require a Windows operating system for specific software, or if you are focused on gaming and 3D modeling due to its higher refresh rate and dedicated Nvidia graphics. The MacBook Pro is slightly lighter and thinner, advantageous for portability. Both laptops are similarly priced and offer comparable general-use performance. Keep in mind that the MSI may be louder and warmer under heavy use, while the MacBook Pro offers a quieter and cooler experience. 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 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 Stealth GS66
The MSI Stealth GS66 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.8/10
7.7/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the MSI Stealth GS66 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels for general use due to its high-resolution Mini LED display, powerful Apple M3 Pro CPU, and extensive battery life, coupled with a lightweight design that enhances its portability, all of which are very important for daily tasks. Meanwhile, the MSI Stealth GS66, although still suitable for general use, has a lower screen resolution and significantly shorter battery life, but compensates with a high-quality keyboard and robust build suitable for gaming and intensive applications.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
8.2/10
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 MSI Stealth GS66 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels in engineering and design due to its Apple M3 Pro CPU, high RAM capacity, powerful integrated GPU, and exceptional screen quality, including high resolution and color accuracy. The MSI Stealth GS66, while also strong in CPU and screen quality, offers a dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU for computing tasks and gaming that require intensive graphics performance, alongside good portability and higher refresh rates, which are beneficial for real-time design work and testing.
Content Creation
8.9/10
7.7/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
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 Stealth GS66 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
7.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the MSI Stealth GS66 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
8.1/10
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth GS66 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro has a high-resolution display that delivers vibrant colors and excellent brightness, appealing for both general use and professional design work, which benefit from its wide color gamut, covering a range of colors essential for meticulous design tasks. However, its focus on resolution and color accuracy over refresh rate means it falls short for 3D applications, which require faster screen updates for smooth visuals. The MSI Stealth, while having good general performance with its resolution and brightness, also has a good color range for engineering and design, but its refresh rate isn't high enough to provide the optimal experience for gaming or 3D work that demands quick and fluid motion.
Battery
17.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS66 has 5.5 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
10.0/10
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Stealth GS66 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
$1,799
$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 Stealth GS66 costs $1,799.
The MSI Stealth GS66 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) are both good for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Portability
Good
Good
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and MSI Stealth GS66 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 MSI Stealth GS66 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 MSI Stealth GS66 is powerful enough for QHD. The Core i7-12700H and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti found in the 12UGS model that we tested run all modern games smoothly in the native QHD resolution. The 15-inch display is very fast with its 240 Hz refresh rate, and it also offers a great color space (almost 100% DCI-P3) on top of that, which should please gamers as well as content creators, although we would have still wished for a higher brightness. Case, input devices, and connectivity (Thunderbolt 4) are at a good level. However, among other things, the GS66 loses points due to the high temperature development in 3D mode and its poor webcam."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the MSI Stealth GS66
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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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.
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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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