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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
- Excellent for general use
- Excellent for software development
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
- The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Key differences
Screen Quality
9.4
9.4
16.2in
SIZE
16.2in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 16 for software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
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Key similarities
General Use
9.0
8.7
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) to be excellent for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very 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
7.1
7.2
3.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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.
Engineering and Design
8.3
8.4
7.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
3.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.8
8.7
7.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) 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
9.0
8.7
7.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) to be excellent for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very 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.
Battery
17.5 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 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
Good
16.2in
SIZE
16.2in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) both have best in class build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,999
$1,993
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,999 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) costs $1,993.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 | | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,999 | $1,993 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 4.7 lbs | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 Pro (10C) | Apple M2 Pro (12C) | |
Graphics | |||
Graphics | M1 Pro (16C) | M2 Pro (19C) | |
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | |||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | No | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 17.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 99.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 16.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 3456 x 2234 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 497 nits | 487 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Keyboard Lighting Color | |||
Keyboard Lighting Color | White | White | |
Warranty Period | |||
Warranty Period | 1 year | 1 year | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
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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."
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
See more
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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
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.
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Why trust us
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
59,895
Recommendations made
12,978
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.
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