Apple MacBook Pro 16" Core i9 2.3GHz Silver 2019

A stunning 16-inch screen and rock-solid build trapped in a hot, RAM-starved Intel body. Only worth it if you find a screaming deal and know exactly what you're getting into.

What surprised us most is how well that AMD Radeon Pro 5500M holds up for a five-year-old GPU, landing in the 70th percentile. It's not going to set any speed records, but it's still a capable card for creative tasks that lean on the GPU. The real shocker is the RAM situation. 16GB in a 'Pro' machine puts it in a disappointing 27th percentile in our database. For a laptop aimed at creators and developers, that's a serious bottleneck that will have you swapping to the speedy 1TB SSD more often than you'd like.

The elephant in the room is any Apple Silicon Mac. A used M1 MacBook Air will feel snappier for everyday tasks, run completely silent, and have actual all-day battery life, though its screen and GPU are a step down. On the PC side, something like a modern ASUS Zenbook UX3405CA will be lighter, have a much better CPU, and double the RAM, but you'll lose macOS and that glorious 16-inch mini-LED display. You're choosing between a world-class screen and build versus modern efficiency and performance.

With a price spread from $455 to $760, this is a game of 'how low can you go'. At $455, you're getting a fantastic screen, great speakers, and a solid GPU in a premium shell. That's a decent deal for a secondary editing rig. At $760, you're dangerously close to used M1 MacBook Air territory, which will run circles around this i9 in single-core tasks and do it silently without melting your lap. Hunt for the lower end of that price range.

The 2019 MacBook Pro with the Core i9 is a bit of a throwback, and honestly, it's a mixed bag in 2024. The one thing you need to know is that this machine is a screen and build quality champ that's held back by a hot, aging Intel chip and a paltry 16GB of RAM. It's a refurb, so the value proposition is different, but you're buying a gorgeous chassis with a processor that's been thoroughly lapped by Apple's own M-series silicon. For the right price and the right user, it still has some life left, but you need to go in with your eyes wide open.

If you're looking for a quiet, portable laptop with all-day battery life, this isn't it. Go get a used M1 MacBook Air instead. It'll be faster for everyday tasks, completely silent, and last for years on a single charge.

Buy this only if you absolutely need a large, color-accurate Intel Mac screen on a tight budget and can find it for under $500. It's a specialized tool for a specific job, like a budget video editing station that needs to run older Intel-native software or Boot Camp. For everyone else, this is a relic. The RAM limitation and thermal issues are just too big to ignore for a daily driver. Save up a little more and find a used M1 Pro MacBook Pro instead.