Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max Silver 2024
Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 9 Arctic Grey 2024
Buy the MacBook Pro M4 Max if you're a video editor, 3D artist, developer, or anyone who needs desktop-class power in a laptop and has the budget for it.
Buy the ThinkBook 14 Gen 9 if you need a lightweight, affordable laptop for everyday office work, web browsing, and travel, and you don't care about gaming or heavy creative tasks.
Key Differences
- The M4 Max's CPU benchmark score is 43,903 vs the ThinkBook's 18,296. That's a 2.4x gap, which means rendering a video or compiling code takes less than half the time on the Mac.
- GPU performance is even more lopsided: 17,798 vs 3,170. The Mac has a 40-core GPU, the ThinkBook has integrated Intel graphics. Gaming and 3D work are basically non-starters on the Lenovo.
- The MacBook Pro's display is in another league: 3024p Mini-LED at 120Hz with 1600 nits brightness vs the ThinkBook's 1920p IPS at 60Hz and 400 nits. HDR content looks stunning on the Mac, while the ThinkBook's screen is just... fine.
- Storage and RAM: 4TB and 64GB on the Mac vs 512GB and 16GB on the ThinkBook. You can actually store a serious media library on the Mac. The ThinkBook will have you juggling external drives.
- Price is the ThinkBook's only real win. It's a budget machine, likely under $800, while the MacBook Pro M4 Max in this config runs well over $3,000. You're paying for every bit of that performance gap.
What Buyers Say
Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max Silver 2024
The MacBook Pro M4 Max is widely praised as a powerful workhorse, handling heavy photo and video editing tasks with ease. Users highlight its smooth performance, fast file processing, and seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem. Verified buyers consistently note excellent value, especially when opting for the Pro over the Max model, and commend B&H's customer service and shipping process.
Pros
- Powerful performance for heavy tasks
- Smooth handling of photo and video editing
- Fast file import and export
- Seamless Apple ecosystem integration
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- No significant drawbacks mentioned
Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 9 Arctic Grey 2024
No customer feedback yet
Scores
Specifications
| Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max | Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | ||
| CPU* | Apple M4 Max★ | Intel Core 5 210H |
| CPU Multi-Core Score | ||
| Cores | 16★ | 8 |
| Frequency | — | 3.6 GHz★ |
| L3 Cache | — | 12 MB★ |
| Graphics | ||
| GPU* | Apple (40-Core)★ | Integrated Intel Graphics |
| GPU Benchmark Score | ||
| Type | integrated | integrated |
| VRAM Type | System Shared | — |
| Memory & Storage | ||
| RAM | 64 GB★ | 16 GB |
| RAM Generation | LPDDR5 | DDR5 |
| Storage 1 | 4 TB★ | 512 GB |
| Storage 1 Type | NVMe SSD | NVMe SSD |
| Display | ||
| Size | 14.2" | 14" |
| Resolution | 3024 px★ | 1920 px |
| Panel | Mini-LED★ | IPS |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz★ | 60 Hz |
| Brightness | 1600 nits★ | 400 nits |
| Color Gamut | 100% sRGB, 95% DCI-P3 | 45% NTSC |
| Connectivity | ||
| USB-C Ports | 3★ | 2 |
| USB Ports | — | 2★ |
| Thunderbolt | Thunderbolt 5 | Thunderbolt 4 |
| HDMI | 1x HDMI Output | HDMI 2.1 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Ethernet | — | Ethernet (RJ45) |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 1.60 kg | 1.36 kg★ |
| Battery | 72 Wh★ | 48 Wh |
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 Pro |
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max Silver 2024
- Strong screen (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong storage (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong reliability (98th percentile)98th %ile
Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 9 Arctic Grey 2024
- Strong port selection (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong portability (84th percentile)84th %ile
- Strong reliability (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong screen (75th percentile)
Verdict
Scores 99 overall, wins 8 of 8 usage categories and 13 of 29 specs.