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MagyarThe Best Windows Alternatives to Apple's MacBook Pro 16
Goodbye, 15-inch MacBook Pro, we’ve had a great time. You’ve been replaced by the MacBook Pro 16 that is supposed to put an end to the keyboard woes of yore.
The MacBook Pro 16 is Apple’s universal weapon in search of ultimate (Apple) notebook performance. It features hexa or even octa-core Intel processors supported by a dedicated AMD GPU. Both are mid-range GPUs offering enough performance for enjoying not too demanding games smoothly in FHD.
Prices start at $2,399 for the base model with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD and go all the way up to almost $7,000 for the fully-specced high-end model. Potential Windows competitors are thus other high-end multimedia and workstation laptops. The following Top 10 lists might provide some further insight:
The Original: Apple MacBook Pro 16
Position | Total Rating | Date | Image | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Screen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 89.7 % | 12/2019 |  | Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M Intel Core i9-9880H AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 16 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 2 kg | 16.2 mm | 16.00" | 3072x1920 | glossy |
The Best Windows Alternatives to Apples MacBook Pro 16
The table above contains an overview over the best notebooks reviewed by Notebookcheck over the course of the past 12 months as well as still relevant and available older products. In cases of identical score the more recent device is listed first. All prices in above table and price comparisons are updated daily and can thus differ.
Link: all devices in this class reviewed
Editor's Comments
1st – HP ZBook Studio G7
The HP ZBook Studio G7 is a portable workstation equipped with Nividia’s Raytracing-capable RTX-series GPUs. It features a high-quality premium case and is optionally also available with a non-Quadro-class GPU for additional consumer features.
The optional 4K display is very well calibrated but fails to cover AdobeRGB in its entirety. WWAN support is also suspiciously missing.
On the flip side, its benefits include good input devices and four great speakers. The lightweight workstation left a very positive impression overall, and the ZBook Studio G7 is a great choice for users in need of a powerful workstation with plenty of graphics oomph.
Prices start at around $2,000, and the device is available through the usual retail channels, such as for example Amazon.
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2nd – HP Zbook Fury 15 G7
The HP ZBook Fury 15 G7 is a comparatively lightweight workstation that weighs in at around 6.5 lbs. including its power supply. While a very bright panel for improved outdoor usability is available as an option the great keyboard and good touchpad come as standard.
Battery life, case rigidity, and performance are this particular workstation’s strong suits. On the flip side its case gets very hot at the bottom, as does the CPU under load. We also found DPC latencies meaning that video streams can potentially suffer from skipped frames. This, however, should not cause any issues for professional work.
If you are looking for a powerful yet comparatively lightweight and configurable workstation the HP ZBook Fury 15 G7 can offer a great choice, and it can be a very good alternative to Apple’s MBP16.
Various SKUs of this particular notebook are available for purchase. However, at the time of writing there were only a few major US retailers selling a select few models, such as for example Newegg.
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3rd – Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is now optionally available with LTE. In return, the new model lacks both the Ethernet port and the smart card reader, which will be a major issue for many professional users and will need to be addressed via USB dongle. Overall, we liked the notebook’s easy upgradeability as well as its graphics prowess.
The fans are a little bit louder than on its predecessors and sRGB is no longer fully covered, at least on our particular review unit with matte 1080p panel. Professional users may once again find this to be problematic, and Apple’s MBP16 offers a lot more in this regard.
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4th – Dell XPS 15 9500
Dell’s XPS 15 is a staple in the world of 15-inch MacBook Pro competitors. The high-quality notebook features long battery life and can be configured to your individual liking. It comes with two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a display with decent color accuracy, and is easy to upgrade.
Based on past experiences we would be hesitant in regard to the Core i9 SKU. The predecessor’s cooling system was overwhelmed by the Core i9, and the CPU in return not much faster than the Core i7. More details on this once we’ve had a Core i9 SKU in review.
Nevertheless, the Core i7 model offers more than enough power for demanding tasks, and is a great competitor to Apple’s largest MacBook Pro thanks to long battery life and high-quality speakers.
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5th – Schenker Vision 15
The Schenker Vision 15 is based on Intels own reference notebook and a Windows alternative to Apple’s MacBook Pro 16. At a price of around 1,500 Euros, you get plenty of performance, a high-quality unibody chassis, modern connectivity with Thunderbolt 4, and last but not least good input devices.
On the flip side we see a display that is not quite what we would have expected in a notebook at this price. Its color accuracy is pretty poor, which can be a deal breaker for those doing photo and video editing, design, and art. Its fan management is also in need of improvement, which should be easily done via firmware update according to the manufacturer.
Overall, the Schenker Vision 15 is an interesting and powerful device whose up-to-date connectivity is a unique selling point at the time being.
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6th – Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model
While the Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model is originally a gaming notebook its traditional design and high performance make it a great competitor for Apple’s MacBook Pro. Compared to its predecessor it received a few minor updates, such as an up-to-date GPU and CPU.
What it inherited from its predecessor are the robust and sturdy metal case, great battery life, up to 64 GB of RAM, and a display running at a refresh rate of up to 360 Hz. Some content creators might benefit from this immensely.
Its Thunderbolt port is of the Thunderbolt variety, and Razer should have updated the keyboard while they were at it as well. All things considered the Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model is an uncommon yet certainly exciting alternative to Apple's MacBook Pro 16 that also easily fulfills one’s gaming ambitions.
Prices start at around $2,200 on Amazon and at around $2,600 in Razer’s own online store.
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7th – Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15
At just 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) Samsung’s Galaxy Book Flex 15 is a very light-weight alternative to Apple’s MacBook Pro 16. Keep in mind that the Flex 15 is a convertible that can be used either as a tablet when fully flipped around or standing upright in tent mode.
Thanks to its versatility the device comes equipped with a touchscreen that can get incredibly bright outdoors. Input options include the clickpad, the touchscreen, and the included S-Pen. You get two Thunderbolt 3 ports, fast Wi-Fi, and a fast SSD.
If we had to nitpick we would certainly find a few minor issues, but given that the immense price difference to the MacBook Pro 16 Samsung’s convertible is definitely worth a closer look.
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8th – Lenovo ThinkPad T15
The second generation of Lenovo’s recently renamed Lenovo ThinkPad T15 remains a great business notebook. It offers more power thanks to its Tiger Lake-generation processors and its optional business features easily meet the security and management needs of large corporations.
The case remained unchanged when compared to its predecessor, which means it is still the same traditional great ThinkPad chassis. New features include the Thunderbolt 4 port.
The GPU was too slow, and maintenance was unnecessarily obstructed by the hard to open case. If, however, you are a fan of the traditional ThinkPad allure it can be a great alternative to Apple’s MacBook Pro 16.
The ThinkPad T15 G2 is offered through Lenovo’s own webstore as well as the usual retail channels, such as Walmart.
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9th – Lenovo Yoga Creator 7
The list of pros that surfaced during our review of the Lenovo Yoga Creator 7 is quite extensive. Among others it includes a high-contrast HDR-supported display, excellent battery life, a fast SSD, a great backlit keyboard, the laptop’s sound system, its Thunderbolt port, and much more.
Graphics performance aplenty is available thanks to Nvidia’s GTX 1650 GPU albeit not at the highest currently possible level. Prices start at around 1,550 Euros and render this highly versatile convertible relatively affordable overall.
Unfortunately, at the time of writing Lenovo had no plans to bring the Yoga Creator Line to North America.
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10th – Asus ZenBook Pro 15 UX535
The ZenBook Pro 15 features the new ScreenPad, a touchscreen integrated into the touchpad reminiscent to a certain degree of Apple’s Touch Bar. It can be purchased with an OLED touchscreen or a matte IPS display, both of which feature native 4K panels.
Our review unit, which came equipped with aforementioned touchscreen, offered a decent color space coverage, thin bezels, plenty of performance, and decent battery life. On the flip side its connectivity was somewhat poor, and we noticed significant performance throttling on battery, which you need to keep in mind should you be planning to use this notebook on battery a lot.
Nevertheless, the 15.6-inch Asus laptop is a good alternative to Apple’s MacBook Pro, with its ScreenPad as unique selling point.
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Top MBP 16/15 Alternatives in Comparison
Test Results
| HP ZBook Studio G7 | HP ZBook Fury 15 G7 | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen3-20TLS0UV00 | Dell XPS 15 9500 Core i7 4K UHD | Schenker Vision 15 | Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model Early 2021 | Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 15-NP950 | Lenovo ThinkPad T15 Gen2-20W5S00100 | Lenovo Yoga Creator 7 15IMH05 82DS000VGE | Asus ZenBook UX535-M01440 | Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | |||||||||||
| Display P3 Coverage | 98.2 | 95.6 | 61 | 89.7 | 69.3 | 65.9 | 99 | 40.18 | 68.7 | 68.8 | |
| sRGB Coverage | 99.9 | 99.8 | 89.9 | 100 | 94 | 96.4 | 99.9 | 60.2 | 97.1 | 99.5 | |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 86.5 | 84.5 | 62.2 | 99.8 | 70.8 | 68 | 86.9 | 41.55 | 70.3 | 70.1 | |
| Response Times | |||||||||||
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 56.4 ? | 56 ? | 33.6 ? | 54 ? | 60 ? | 16 ? | 53 ? | 48.8 ? | 5 ? | 34 ? | 52.4 ? |
| Response Time Black / White * | 37.6 ? | 36 ? | 22.4 ? | 33.2 ? | 39 ? | 10.4 ? | 32 ? | 32 ? | 6 ? | 24 ? | 34.9 ? |
| PWM Frequency | 26040 ? | 131700 | |||||||||
| Screen | |||||||||||
| Brightness middle | 723 | 672.8 | 518 | 557.9 | 478 | 338 | 436 | 353 | 360 | 402 | 519 |
| Brightness | 707 | 674 | 513 | 541 | 462 | 334 | 406 | 348 | 320 | 375 | 477 |
| Brightness Distribution | 92 | 89 | 88 | 91 | 94 | 94 | 88 | 95 | 81 | 84 | 86 |
| Black Level * | 0.35 | 0.5 | 0.38 | 0.39 | 0.27 | 0.24 | 0.34 | 0.2 | 0.18 | 0.35 | 0.39 |
| Contrast | 2066 | 1346 | 1363 | 1431 | 1770 | 1408 | 1282 | 1765 | 2000 | 1149 | 1331 |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.4 | 3.48 | 2.1 | 4.54 | 3.2 | 1.39 | 3.53 | 6.1 | 6.84 | 2.47 | 2.28 |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 2.9 | 9.44 | 4.5 | 7.92 | 8.4 | 3.31 | 8.43 | 23.5 | 12.52 | 4.32 | 6.54 |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 0.5 | 3.03 | 1.3 | 3.82 | 2 | 0.97 | 4.9 | 2.54 | 2.36 | 0.86 | |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 4.5 | 1.6 | 5.34 | 4.6 | 12.94 | 2.26 | 0.9 |
| Gamma | 2.14 103% | 2.04 108% | 2.35 94% | 1.99 111% | 2.16 102% | 2.291 96% | 2.4 92% | 2.26 97% | 2.55 86% | 2.49 88% | 2145 0% |
| CCT | 6484 100% | 6380 102% | 7042 92% | 6451 101% | 6788 96% | 6626 98% | 7409 88% | 6732 97% | 6973 93% | 6285 103% | 6572 99% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 77.3 | 75.2 | 57.7 | 89.5 | 63.1 | 68 | 78 | 38.2 | 63 | 99 | 78 |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 99.9 | 100 | 90.4 | 100 | 93.6 | 89 | 100 | 59.8 | 97 | ||
| Noise | |||||||||||
| off / environment * | 24.4 | 26.4 | 29.5 | 28.4 | 29.8 | 24 | 24.9 | 24.2 | 24.9 | 24.6 | 29.8 |
| Idle Minimum * | 24.4 | 26.4 | 29.5 | 28.4 | 29.8 | 26 | 24.9 | 24.2 | 24.9 | 24.6 | 29.9 |
| Idle Average * | 24.4 | 26.4 | 29.5 | 28.4 | 29.8 | 28 | 24.9 | 24.2 | 24.9 | 24.6 | 29.9 |
| Idle Maximum * | 27.9 | 26.4 | 29.9 | 28.4 | 31.1 | 40 | 24.9 | 24.2 | 30.8 | 24.6 | 29.9 |
| Load Average * | 38.8 | 31.7 | 44.2 | 46 | 40.5 | 45 | 38.4 | 34.5 | 41.9 | 41.3 | 43 |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 46.3 | 47 | 36.1 | 42 | 40.5 | 43 | 38.4 | 37.6 | 41.9 | 42 | 45.4 |
| Load Maximum * | 46.3 | 47 | 44.2 | 47.1 | 40.5 | 45 | 38.5 | 37.6 | 41.7 | 41.4 | 46.1 |
| Heat | |||||||||||
| Maximum Upper Side * | 45.7 | 48.8 | 48.8 | 44 | 42.4 | 49 | 45.5 | 42.2 | 39.8 | 37.8 | 42 |
| Maximum Bottom * | 50.6 | 62.6 | 51.1 | 48.8 | 46.8 | 54 | 45.5 | 55.1 | 36.5 | 44.2 | 38 |
| Idle Upper Side * | 24.8 | 27.2 | 23.3 | 33 | 24.6 | 30 | 28.5 | 23.8 | 22.9 | 28.1 | 25 |
| Idle Bottom * | 26.1 | 30.6 | 23.1 | 32.4 | 24.4 | 32 | 29.1 | 25.1 | 23 | 27.7 | 25 |
| Battery Runtime | |||||||||||
| H.264 | 647 | 731 | 1122 | 536 | 834 | 714 | 580 | ||||
| WiFi v1.3 | 468 | 515 | 693 | 546 | 912 | 538 | 702 | 476 | 539 | 608 | 718 |
| Load | 96 | 79 | 83 | 121 | 78 | 120 | 59 | 117 | 58 | ||
| Reader / Idle | 794 | 1382 | 866 | 1543 | 1097 | ||||||
| Witcher 3 ultra | 54 |
* ... smaller is better
