Apple MacBook Pro 16.2" M4 Pro Space Black 2024

The M4 Pro CPU is a top-tier performer, landing in the 91st percentile, and the 48GB of RAM is a huge plus. The 16-inch Mini-LED display is the absolute best right now, but the 512GB SSD is a mediocre inclusion for a pro machine. Shop carefully, as prices vary by over a thousand dollars.

This thing is a workstation that happens to be a laptop. The M4 Pro's 14-core CPU puts it in the leading pack, and in real-world terms, that means rendering and compile times that embarrass most Windows-based desktop replacements. The 20-core GPU sits in the 73rd percentile, which is well above average for creative work, but don't mistake it for a gaming powerhouse. The 48GB of LPDDR5X RAM is a standout, landing in the 92nd percentile, so you can keep a ton of VMs, browser tabs, and hefty design files open without a hint of slowdown. The 512GB SSD is the one spec that feels a bit tight, sitting right in the middle of the pack at the 55th percentile. For a machine this powerful, you'll likely feel the need for an external drive sooner rather than later.

Stacked against the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, the MacBook Pro trades blows in an interesting way. The ASUS will run circles around it in gaming with a dedicated GPU, but the Mac's M4 Pro CPU and superior build quality make it the clear winner for developers and creative pros. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 offers more raw GPU power and a higher refresh rate screen for gamers, but it can't touch the MacBook's battery life or its stunning 1600-nit Mini-LED display. If you need a portable workstation with an unmatched screen and don't care about PC gaming, the MacBook is the easy choice. The HP OMEN Transcend 14 is a more compact and gaming-focused alternative, but you sacrifice the large, color-accurate canvas that makes this 16-inch MacBook so good for creative work.

Pricing on this configuration is all over the map, with a massive $1085 spread between vendors. You'll see it listed from $2599 up to $3684, so shopping around is non-negotiable. At the lower end of that range, you're getting a fantastic price-to-performance ratio for the CPU and RAM you're packing. But if you pay anywhere near the top of that range, the value proposition crumbles, especially with only a 512GB SSD. The best deal we're seeing is at Amazon.com, so start your hunt there.

The M4 Pro chip in this 16-inch MacBook Pro lands in the 91st percentile for CPU performance in our database, which means it's one of the best on the market for raw processing grunt. You're getting a 14-core CPU, a 20-core GPU, and a generous 48GB of unified memory. That's a combo that chews through code compiles and 4K video timelines without breaking a sweat. The display is a showstopper too, hitting a peak brightness of 1600 nits and earning a perfect score in our screen rankings.

Gamers should look elsewhere without a second thought, as the gaming score of 49.5 out of 100 tells you everything you need to know. If you're a video editor working with massive, multi-terabyte project files, the middling 512GB SSD will be a constant headache, forcing you to juggle external drives. Anyone who travels constantly might also balk at the size, as it ranks in the 11th percentile for compactness. This is a desktop replacement that's happiest on a big desk.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro is a data-backed beast for developers and creators. The CPU and RAM scores are elite, and the display is literally the best we've tested. The 512GB SSD is a head-scratcher at this price, and it's no gaming laptop, but for its intended audience, it's hard to beat. Just make sure you snag it at the lower end of that wild price range.