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- Table of Contents
- Top
- Main Differences
- Design
- Display
- Interface
- Connectivity
- Configuration
- Performance
- Additional Features And Software
- Comments
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) vs Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3, 2023)
Side-by-Side Comparison
Products
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3, 2023)
Tested using Methodology v0.8.2
Updated Dec 14, 2023 12:24 PM
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Amazon.comTested using Methodology v0.8.3
Updated May 02, 2025 03:05 PM
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Amazon.com
Size16"
Operating SystemmacOS
Size16"
Operating SystemmacOS
Variants
- MacBook Pro 16 (MK1H3LL/A) (Silver - M1 Max/10‑core CPU/32‑core GPU/32GB/1TB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MK1F3LL/A) (Silver - M1 Pro chip/10‑core CPU/16‑core GPU/16GB/1TB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MK1E3LL/A) (Silver - M1 Pro/10‑core CPU/16‑core GPU/16GB/512GB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MK1A3LL/A) (Space Gray - M1 Max/10‑core CPU/32‑core GPU/32GB/1TB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MK193LL/A) (Space Gray - M1 Pro/10‑core CPU/16‑core GPU/16GB/1TB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MK183LL/A) (Space Gray - M1 Pro/10‑core CPU/16‑core GPU/16GB/512GB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MRW73LL/A) (Silver - M3 Max/14-core CPU/36GB/1TB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MUW73LL/A) (Silver - M3 Max/16-core CPU/48GB/1TB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MRW43LL/A) (Silver - M3 Pro/12-core CPU/18GB/512GB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MRW63LL/A) (Silver - M3 Pro/12-core CPU/36GB/512GB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MRW33LL/A) (Space Black - M3 Max/14-core CPU/36GB/1TB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MUW63LL/A) (Space Black - M3 Max/16-core CPU/48GB/1TB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MRW13LL/A) (Space Black - M3 Pro/12-core CPU/18GB/512GB)
- MacBook Pro 16 (MRW23LL/A) (Space Black - M3 Pro/12-core CPU/36GB/512GB)
Our Verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3, 2023)
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3, 2023) is a newer version of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021). Except for a new Space Black color, they're identical in design, as all the improvements are internal. The M3 MacBook Pro 16 has a slightly brighter display, better performance, and longer battery life. The M3 Pro/Max SoCs also add hardware-accelerated ray tracing, AV1 decoding, and increased memory support (up to 128GB).
Main Differences forSchool
School
Threshold
School
8.6
8.8
Full Comparison
Design
Style
Style Photo
Form Factor
Traditional (Clamshell)
Traditional (Clamshell)
Build Quality
9.5
9.5
Build Quality Photo
Hinge
9.1
9.1
Hinge Photo
Range
135°
135°
Stability
Good
Good
One Finger Lift
Yes
Yes
Portability
7.2
7.2
Dimensions Photo
Size
16"
16"
Thickness
0.7" (1.7 cm)
0.7" (1.7 cm)
Width
14.0" (35.6 cm)
14.0" (35.5 cm)
Depth
9.8" (24.8 cm)
9.8" (24.8 cm)
Volume
91.6 in³ (1,500.9 cm³)
91.3 in³ (1,496.7 cm³)
Weight
4.7 lbs (2.2 kg)
4.8 lbs (2.2 kg)
Charger Size
13.3 in³ (218.3 cm³)
13.3 in³ (218.3 cm³)
Charger Weight
1.1 lbs (0.5 kg)
1.1 lbs (0.5 kg)
Serviceability
3.5
3.5
Internals Photo
Ease Of Access
6.0
6.0
RAM Slots
0
0
Storage Slots
0
0
Replaceable Battery
Yes
Yes
Replaceable Wireless Adapter
No
No
In The Box
In The Box Photo
Display
Screen Specs
Display Photo
Resolution
3456 x 2234
3456 x 2234
Aspect Ratio
16:10
16:10
Pixel Density
254 PPI
254 PPI
Panel Type
IPS
IPS
Touch Screen
No
No
Screen-To-Body Ratio
91%
91%
Refresh Rate
8.7
8.7
Motion Blur
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
120 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Apple ProMotion
Apple ProMotion
Contrast
10
10
Contrast Photo
Native Contrast
50,250 : 1
51,150 : 1
Brightness
8.5
9.1
Maximum Brightness
469 cd/m²
601 cd/m²
Minimum Brightness
4 cd/m²
3 cd/m²
Reflections
8.8
8.8
Reflections Photo Off
Reflections Photo Max
Screen Finish
Glossy
Glossy
Total Reflections
1.91%
1.83%
Indirect Reflections
0.18%
0.16%
Calculated Direct Reflections
1.73%
1.67%
Black Uniformity
10
10
Black Uniformity Photo
Uniformity (Std. Dev.)
0.355%
0.179%
Horizontal Viewing Angle
6.9
Horizontal Viewing Angle Video
Horizontal Chroma Picture
Color Washout From Left
25°
Color Washout From Right
29°
Horizontal Hue Picture
Color Shift From Left
39°
Color Shift From Right
47°
Horizontal Lightness Picture
Brightness Loss From Left
28°
Brightness Loss From Right
32°
Black Level Raise From Left
60°
Black Level Raise From Right
60°
Gamma Shift From Left
33°
Gamma Shift From Right
38°
Vertical Viewing Angle
7.0
Vertical Viewing Angle Video
Vertical Chroma Picture
Color Washout From Below
26°
Color Washout From Above
31°
Vertical Hue Picture
Color Shift From Below
38°
Color Shift From Above
45°
Vertical Lightness Picture
Brightness Loss From Below
29°
Brightness Loss From Above
34°
Black Level Raise From Below
45°
Black Level Raise From Above
45°
Gamma Shift From Below
28°
Gamma Shift From Above
33°
Out-Of-The-Box Color Accuracy
9.9
9.9
White Balance Screencap
Gamma Curve Screencap
Color Screencap
Avg. White Balance dE
1.46
1.45
Avg. Gamma
2.22
2.24
Avg. Color dE
1
0.94
Avg. Color Temperature
6,709.7 K
6,718.9 K
Color Gamut
9.5
9.5
Gamut SDR
sRGB xy
99.94%
99.94%
sRGB uv
99.76%
99.76%
Adobe RGB xy
88.91%
89.32%
Adobe RGB uv
94.33%
94.31%
Gamut HDR
DCI P3 xy
99.73%
99.81%
DCI P3 uv
99.09%
99.59%
Rec. 2020 xy
72.6%
73.15%
Rec. 2020 uv
73.59%
74.31%
Flicker
10
9.0
Flicker Graph
Flicker-Free
No
No
Flicker Frequency
> 1000Hz
> 1000Hz
Flicker Active Below
0%
100%
Interface
Keyboard
8.0
8.0
Keyboard Photo
Typing Quality
8.0
8.0
Numpad
No
No
Backlighting
Adjustable
Adjustable
Key Switch Actuation Graph
Operating Force
59 gf
62 gf
Actuation Force
41 gf
38 gf
Pre-Travel
0.78 mm
0.78 mm
Total Travel
0.86 mm
0.85 mm
Touchpad
9.7
9.7
Touchpad Photo
Tracking Quality
9.5
9.5
Size
24.8 in² (160.0 cm²)
24.8 in² (160.0 cm²)
Material
Glass
Glass
Dedicated Buttons
No
No
Speakers
8.4
9.1
Frequency Response Plot
Max Volume
76 dB SPL
78 dB SPL
Standard Error @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
4.9 dB
3.9 dB
Slope @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
0.7
0.6
Bass Extension (Low-Frequency Ext.)
116 Hz
112 Hz
Treble Extension (High-Frequency Ext.)
20 kHz
20 kHz
Dynamic Range Compression @ Max Vol.
1.5 dB
2.6 dB
Webcam & Microphone
9.1
9.1
Webcam Video Sample
Video Quality
9.5
9.5
Resolution
1080p
1080p
Position
Top Center
Top Center
Privacy Cover
No
No
Face Unlock
No
No
Connectivity
Ports
8.5
8.5
Ports Photo
USB-A Ports
0
0
USB-C Ports
3
3
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt 4
Thunderbolt 4
USB-C Charging
Yes
Yes
USB-C Display Out
Yes
Yes
HDMI
2.0
2.1
DisplayPort
No
No
3.5mm Jack
Combo mic/headphone
Combo mic/headphone
Card Reader
SD UHS 2
SD UHS 2
Ethernet
No
No
Proprietary Port
Apple MagSafe 3
Apple MagSafe 3
Security Lock
No
No
Wireless Communication
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth
5.0
5.3
Configuration
CPU
Brand
Apple
Apple
Model
M1 Max
M3 Max
Core Count
10
16
Thread Count
10
16
GPU
Brand
Apple
Apple
Model
M1 Max
M3 Max
Dedicated/Integrated
Integrated
Integrated
VRAM Size
N/A
N/A
GPU Total Graphics Power (TGP)
N/A
RAM
Capacity
32 GB
48 GB
Modules
Unknown
Unknown
Type
LP-DDR5
LP-DDR5
Speed
6,400 MHz
6,400 MHz
Storage
Advertised Capacity
512 GB
1,000 GB
Usable Capacity
463 GB
966 GB
Drive 1
Apple SSD AP512R
Apple SSD AP1024Z
Drive 1 Type
SSD
SSD
Drive 2
No 2nd Drive
No 2nd Drive
Drive 2 Type
No 2nd Drive
No 2nd Drive
Performance
Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)
9.7
9.9
Geekbench Image
CPU Single-Thread
1,784 points
2,354 points
CPU Multi-Thread
12,733 points
22,973 points
GPU Compute
68,226 points
99,702 points
Cinebench R23 (CPU Rendering)
9.6
10
Cinebench R23 Photo
Single-Thread
1,535 points
1,915 points
Multi-Thread
12,390 points
24,046 points
Blender (3D Rendering)
7.9
9.3
Blender Image
CPU Render Time
4.1 min
1.5 min
GPU Render Time
N/A
N/A
GPU Render Time (Optix)
N/A
N/A
Basemark GPU (Game Scene)
9.0
9.5
Basemark Image
Overall Score
80,945
99,985
Storage Drive Performance
9.5
9.2
Storage Performance Image
Sequential Write Speed
4,506.1 MB/s
5,626.4 MB/s
Sequential Read Speed
4,846.1 MB/s
2,652.1 MB/s
Random Write Speed
54.2 MB/s
47.1 MB/s
Random Read Speed
57.5 MB/s
47.5 MB/s
Battery
9.4
9.4
Capacity
100 Wh
100 Wh
Battery Life (Web Browsing)
15.0 hrs
13.2 hrs
Battery Life (Video Playback)
8.4 hrs
12.8 hrs
Battery Life (Gaming)
2.1 hrs
1.9 hrs
Charge Time
2.1 hrs
2.0 hrs
Borderlands 3
6.0
6.5
Borderlands 3 Graph
Avg. FPS
48 fps
65 fps
1% Low
30 fps
38 fps
0.1% Low
16 fps
21 fps
1% Low Delta
12 ms
11 ms
0.1% Low Delta
43 ms
32 ms
Avg. FPS On Very Low
58 fps
72 fps
Civilization VI
6.8
7.3
Civilization VI Graph
Avg. FPS
52 fps
66 fps
1% Low
37 fps
47 fps
0.1% Low
33 fps
43 fps
1% Low Delta
8 ms
6 ms
0.1% Low Delta
11 ms
8 ms
Avg. FPS On Minimum
97 fps
120 fps
Avg. Turn Time
9.69 s
8.65 s
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
9.1
CS:GO graph
Avg. FPS
129 fps
1% Low
N/A
0.1% Low
N/A
1% Low Delta
N/A
0.1% Low Delta
N/A
Avg. FPS On Low
162 fps
Counter-Strike 2
0.0
CS2 Graph
Avg. FPS
N/A
1% Low
N/A
0.1% Low
N/A
1% Low Delta
N/A
0.1% Low Delta
N/A
Avg. FPS On Low
N/A
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
6.0
9.0
Avg. FPS
93 fps
134 fps
1% Low
25 fps
96 fps
0.1% Low
11 fps
73 fps
1% Low Delta
29 ms
3 ms
0.1% Low Delta
77 ms
6 ms
Avg. FPS On Lowest
134 fps
157 fps
Thermals And Noise
7.7
8.2
Keyboard Temps Picture
Keyboard Temp While Idle
25 °C (77 °F)
25 °C (77 °F)
Keyboard Temp Under Load
45 °C (112 °F)
38 °C (100 °F)
Fan Noise While Idle
25.0 dBA
25.0 dBA
Fan Noise Under Load
43.4 dBA
45.5 dBA
Power & Fan Control App
No
No
Performance Over Time
9.8
10
Performance Over Time Graph
CPU Temp (Cinebench)
93 °C
93 °C
CPU Perf. Loss (Cinebench)
1% loss
0% loss
GPU Temp (Heaven)
88 °C
74 °C
GPU Perf. Loss (Heaven)
0% loss
0% loss
Additional Features And Software
Software
Operating System
macOS
macOS
Additional Software
None
None
Extra Features
Biometrics
Fingerprint Sensor
Fingerprint Sensor
RGB Illumination
No
No
Touch Pen Support
No Stylus Support
Secondary Display
No
No
Touch Pen
No
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Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3, 2023)
Comments
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) vs Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3, 2023): Main Discussion
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