Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
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GENERAL USE: Best in Class—9.5/10
GAMING/AI: Very Good—8.7/10
ENG/DESIGN: Best in Class—9.6/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Best in Class—9.5/10
CONTENT CREATION: Best in Class—9.5/10
PORTABILITY: Good—7.5/10
BATTERY: Best in Class—9.5/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Best in Class—9.5/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Excellent—9.2/10
SIZE: 16.2"
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is a high-end laptop with a large 1024 GB of storage and 36 GB of RAM, powered by Apple's M3 Max processor with integrated GPU. It has an impressive battery capacity, offering long hours of typical use. The 16.2-inch mini LED display ensures a crisp viewing experience but lacks touchscreen functionality. The device is not the lightest, weighing 4.8 pounds, which impacts its portability but includes a backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader, and Thunderbolt ports. It offers strong performance for general use, engineering tasks, and 3D/machine learning tasks, owing largely to its combination of CPU and RAM, but it isn't designed for intensive gaming. As for connections, it's equipped with several USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and USB-C charging capability, emphasizing a modern connection standard. The laptop is designed with high quality materials and build, alongside factors that optimize heat and fan noise management. This MacBook is pre-installed with MacOS, appealing to users who prefer the Apple ecosystem. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- Excellent build quality
- Best keyboard and trackpad
- High-resolution, color-accurate display
- Powerful Apple M3 Max processor
- Long battery life
Cons
- Premium price point
- Heavier than some competitors
- No USB-C ports without Thunderbolt
- Less versatile for gaming
Ratings by Category
Build Quality:5.0
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, chassis rigidity, and overall reliability. Our assessment of build quality includes many details that are difficult to quantify. Our laptop experts use their best judgment to produce the final score.
General Use:4.9
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels in general usage with its high-resolution Mini LED screen that offers excellent color accuracy and brightness, coupled with the powerful M3 Max processor and ample RAM for smooth multitasking. Its large battery ensures extended use, and top-notch build quality, keyboard, and speakers enhance the user experience, although its considerable weight and thickness may limit its portability compared to lighter alternatives.
Engineering & Design:4.9
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, CAD and 3D work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Software Development:4.9
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Content Creation:4.9
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, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Battery Life:4.9
PerfectRec’s Battery Life rating is based on hours of battery life in typical usage scenarios.
General Use Screen Quality:4.9
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
Keyboard Quality:4.9
The Keyboard Quality score is based on the PerfectRec experts’ assessment of tactile feedback, typing comfort, keyboard reliability and typing noise.
Gaming & AI:4.6
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels in 3D performance primarily because it is equipped with a powerful GPU optimized for graphics rendering. Furthermore, its high screen refresh rate enhances the visual fluidity, making it especially suitable for 3D applications that benefit from smoother motion and transitions.
Operating Noise:4.6
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Portability:4.2
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $2,979 | ||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | ||
Weight | 4.8 lbs | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Apple M3 Max (14C) | ||
Graphics | M3 Max (30C) | ||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | ||
RAM | 36 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | ||
Display Technology | Mini LED | ||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | ||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 10/10 | ||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | ||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | ||
Keyboard Lighting Color | White | ||
Warranty Period | 1 year | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | ||
Webcam | 1080p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | ||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | ||
Number Pad | No | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 0 | ||
USB-C ports | 3 | ||
USB-C Charging | Yes | ||
Display Outputs | 4 | ||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | ||
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
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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."
Comparison charts
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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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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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