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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for a laptop with a focus on creative tasks like video editing or music production, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) offers a seamless software experience and long battery life, ideal for professionals in the creative industry who also value a high-quality display. On the other hand, if gaming or 3D work is your priority, the Razer Blade 17 provides powerful performance and a high-refresh-rate screen which is essential for these activities. Keep in mind, however, that the Razer is less portable due to its size and has a shorter battery life compared to the MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro tends to have a higher price tag but comes with the reliability and ecosystem integration of Apple products. 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)
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Good portability
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Razer Blade 17
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5
8.6
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with its high-quality screen and capable CPU, provides a solid foundation for 3D tasks but may fall short in gaming due to many popular titles being incompatible with macOS. In contrast, the Razer Blade 17, with its superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, excels in gaming and 3D applications, offering a smoother and more responsive experience.
Screen Quality
9.3
8.6
16.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Razer Blade 17 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16's high-resolution display, coupled with its excellent brightness and color coverage in both DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, makes it exceptional for tasks that demand color accuracy and detail, such as engineering and design work. However, its generally lower refresh rate compared to gaming-oriented laptops makes it less ideal for 3D applications where fluid motion is key. The Razer Blade 17, while also boasting a high-quality display with strong color gamuts suited to general use and creative tasks, falls short for gaming and 3D because its focus is not specifically on the high refresh rates that provide smoother visuals in fast-paced environments.
Battery
17.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 17 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
16.2in
SIZE
17.3in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has good portability, while the Razer Blade 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Razer Blade 17 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,099
$4,300
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a price of $3,099 and the Razer Blade 17 costs $4,300.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.8
8.5
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Razer Blade 17 are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with a high-quality mini LED screen, efficient Apple M3 Pro CPU, and impressive 17.5 hours of battery life, is highly portable and excels in general use for those invested in the MacOS ecosystem. The Razer Blade 17 packs a more powerful Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU combo, along with a larger screen and greater RAM and storage, yet it is heavier and offers significantly shorter battery life, aligning it more with users who require a Windows-based platform for heavier workloads, including gaming.
Engineering and Design
8.9
9.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
18.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Razer Blade 17 to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is equipped with an Apple-specific CPU and GPU that excel in engineering and design applications, and with a high-resolution Mini LED screen, it delivers superior visual clarity and color accuracy for design work. In comparison, the Razer Blade 17 boasts a more powerful Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU combination, offering premium processing and graphics performance for demanding engineering software, but with a larger form factor and increased weight which can compromise portability.
Content Creation
8.9
8.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
18.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Razer Blade 17 are both very good for content creation.
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
8.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
18.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Razer Blade 17 are both very good for software development.
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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the Razer Blade 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) | Razer Blade 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,099 | $4,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 15.6'' x 10.2'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 6.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 15.55" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 10.24" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 Pro (12C) | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 18 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 82 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 486 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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."
Razer Blade 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | July 2022
"Our test configuration of the Blade 17 targets gamers and creative professionals. A Core i9-12900H processor, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU (175 watts TGP after the BIOS update, 16 GB of VRAM), and 32 GB of working memory equip the laptop for video processing, rending, and 4k gaming at the highest level. In addition, a fast PCIe-4 SSD (1 TB) ensures short load and storage times. With the Blade 17 (Early 2022), Razer delivers a successful and powerful work device for creative professionals. But this also has its price."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the Razer Blade 17
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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