Choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the Razer Blade 18 depends on your priorities. If you value a higher quality display and a lightweight device for easier portability, you might lean towards the MacBook Pro, which also runs macOS and might be more suitable for creative tasks like video editing or music production. On the other hand, the Razer Blade 18, with its more powerful CPU and GPU, offers superior performance for 3D, machine learning, gaming, and intensive engineering software, but it is heavier and typically more expensive than the MacBook. Battery life is another consideration; if it's a priority, you'll want to investigate how each model stacks up, though this typically favors less performance-intensive models like the MacBook. Additionally, think about the operating system preferences, as the MacBook Pro will run macOS while the Razer Blade comes with Windows 11, which could affect the software you can use and your overall workflow. 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 keyboard
Advantages of the Razer Blade 18
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
8.9/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is good.
The MacBook Pro 16, with its Apple M3 Pro GPU, is tailored for professional 3D applications and provides impressive screen quality for content creation, but its lesser refresh rate and macOS can limit gaming possibilities compared to Windows-based laptops. Meanwhile, the Razer Blade 18 boasts a high-refresh-rate display and a powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, making it ideal for the high-performance demands of modern gaming and 3D tasks on a platform that supports a wider range of games.
Screen Quality
9.3/10
8.9/10
16.2in
SIZE
18.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Razer Blade 18 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Razer Blade 18 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with its high-resolution and bright display, offers excellent visual clarity and color accuracy, which is key for both general use and professional design tasks where precise color representation like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB matters. However, it typically has a lower refresh rate, making it less optimal for 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial. The Razer Blade 18, while also featuring a high-quality display suitable for general use and design work, falls short for gaming and 3D primarily because its superb resolution and panel type do not compensate for the importance of a high refresh rate in these scenarios.
Battery
17.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 18 has 4 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
18.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has good portability, while the Razer Blade 18 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Razer Blade 18 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,199
$3,200
$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 $2,199 and the Razer Blade 18 costs $3,200.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Razer Blade 18 are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 is praised for its high screen quality, efficient CPU, and long battery life, making it ideal for general use, while being more portable due to its lighter weight; however, it less RAM compared to the Razer Blade 18, which boasts a more powerful CPU and double the RAM, enhancing performance for demanding applications, but it has a shorter battery life and is heavier, which might affect its portability. Both have top-notch keyboard and speaker quality, ensuring a pleasant user experience, but the Razer may produce more operating noise and heat, factors to consider if you prefer a quieter and cooler running laptop.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
9.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
18.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Razer Blade 18 to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 is favored for engineering and design due to its superb screen quality, boasting high brightness and color accuracy with its Mini LED display, and efficient performance from its Apple M3 Pro chipset, but its portability is less favored compared to lighter laptops. In contrast, the Razer Blade 18 is highly regarded for the same uses because of its powerful Intel processor and Nvidia RTX GPU combo which excel in demanding tasks, and it also offers a larger screen with great color fidelity, albeit with increased weight and reduced battery life compared to the MacBook.
Content Creation
8.9/10
8.6/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
18.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Razer Blade 18 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
8.9/10
8.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
18.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Razer Blade 18 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 18 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."
"Razer made a powerful laptop in the Blade 18, showing off a beautiful and fast display and the same high-quality build we’ve come to expect from this product line. It’s also quite expensive, which is hardly a surprise, but bears repeating even in this price range. It’s pricier than the Scar 18 despite an inferior GPU and half the storage, so you really have to want the Blade 18’s design to justify the cost."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the Razer Blade 18
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.
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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