Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro) vs Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9, 16-inch)
Laptops comparison: specs, VersusAnything Score, key differences and a clear recommendation.
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro) and Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9, 16-inch) are two of the most cross-shopped laptops right now, and the gap between them is narrower in some rows and wider in others than the marketing suggests. The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro is Apple's creator workhorse, with a 14-core CPU, 24 GB of unified memory, 512 GB SSD and up to 24 hours of battery. The Legion 5i Gen 9 is a value gaming laptop with an Intel Core i7-14650HX, RTX 4060 and a 16-inch 165 Hz display.
Quick verdict
With VersusAnything Scores of 44 and 45, neither laptop has a meaningful overall lead. Decide on the rows you will feel daily: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro for video editors and developers who need sustained power and a big display, Lenovo Legion 5i for gamers who want strong 1080p/1600p performance without paying for a thin chassis.
VersusAnything Score
Scores are calculated from measurable specifications normalised within the laptops category and weighted by the factors above. Text-only rows (such as chipset or operating system) are explained but not scored. How the score works.
Side-by-side overview
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro)
The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro is Apple's creator workhorse, with a 14-core CPU, 24 GB of unified memory, 512 GB SSD and up to 24 hours of battery.
Best for video editors and developers who need sustained power and a big display
Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9, 16-inch)
The Legion 5i Gen 9 is a value gaming laptop with an Intel Core i7-14650HX, RTX 4060 and a 16-inch 165 Hz display.
Best for gamers who want strong 1080p/1600p performance without paying for a thin chassis
Key differences
- Screen size: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro 16.2" vs Lenovo Legion 5i 16" — a preference, not a scored win
- Resolution: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro 3456 x 2234 Liquid Retina XDR (mini-LED) vs Lenovo Legion 5i 2560 x 1600 (IPS) — a preference, not a scored win
- Processor: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro Apple M4 Pro (14-core) vs Lenovo Legion 5i Intel Core i7-14650HX — a preference, not a scored win
- Graphics: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro Integrated 20-core (M4 Pro) vs Lenovo Legion 5i NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (8 GB) — a preference, not a scored win
- Ports: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5 mm vs Lenovo Legion 5i Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, 3x USB-A, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, 3.5 mm — a preference, not a scored win
Specification comparison table
| Specification | MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro | Lenovo Legion 5i |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16.2" | 16" |
| Resolution | 3456 x 2234 Liquid Retina XDR (mini-LED) | 2560 x 1600 (IPS) |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 165 Hz |
| Weight | 2.14 kg | 2.4 kg |
| Processor | Apple M4 Pro (14-core) | Intel Core i7-14650HX |
| RAM | 24 GB | 16 GB |
| Base SSD | 512 GB | 1,024 GB |
| Graphics | Integrated 20-core (M4 Pro) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (8 GB) |
| Rated battery life | 24 h | 7 h |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5 mm | Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, 3x USB-A, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, 3.5 mm |
| Operating system | macOS | Windows 11 |
| Launch price (USD) | $2,499 | $1,399 |
Display: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro vs Lenovo Legion 5i Score: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro 59 · Lenovo Legion 5i 94
For screen size, MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro uses 16.2" whereas Lenovo Legion 5i goes with 16". This is a preference rather than a scored win: a bigger screen helps multitasking but adds bulk to your bag. The two differ on resolution (3456 x 2234 Liquid Retina XDR (mini-LED) against 2560 x 1600 (IPS)), and resolution and panel type decide how sharp text looks and how good the colours are for creative work.
The refresh rate row goes to Lenovo Legion 5i: 165 Hz against 120 Hz. A higher refresh rate makes scrolling and cursor movement feel smoother.
Portability: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro vs Lenovo Legion 5i Score: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro 6 · Lenovo Legion 5i 0
On weight, MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro keeps it to 2.14 kg while Lenovo Legion 5i lists 2.4 kg. That 0.26 kg edge counts since every hundred grams matters if the laptop lives in a backpack.
Performance: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro vs Lenovo Legion 5i Score: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro 67 · Lenovo Legion 5i 57
The two differ on processor (Apple M4 Pro (14-core) against Intel Core i7-14650HX), and the processor sets single-core snappiness and multi-core rendering speed. MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro offers 24 GB of RAM while Lenovo Legion 5i stops at 16 GB; the 8 GB gap matters because more memory means more browser tabs and apps before slowdown.
The base SSD row goes to Lenovo Legion 5i: 1,024 GB against 512 GB. A larger base SSD saves you from paying for an upgrade or carrying an external drive. For graphics, MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro uses Integrated 20-core (M4 Pro) whereas Lenovo Legion 5i goes with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (8 GB). This is a preference rather than a scored win: graphics decide whether the laptop can handle gaming and GPU-accelerated video editing.
Battery: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro vs Lenovo Legion 5i Score: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro 85 · Lenovo Legion 5i 0
MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro leads on rated battery life with 24 h versus 7 h, a margin of 17 h. In practice the manufacturer's rating is optimistic, but it is still useful for relative comparison.
Ports: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro vs Lenovo Legion 5i
MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro: 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5 mm. Lenovo Legion 5i: Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, 3x USB-A, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, 3.5 mm. Neither is scored, but port selection decides how many dongles you carry.
Value: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro vs Lenovo Legion 5i Score: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro 0 · Lenovo Legion 5i 62
MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro: macOS. Lenovo Legion 5i: Windows 11. Neither is scored, but the OS determines software compatibility and how the laptop fits with your phone.
On launch price (USD), Lenovo Legion 5i keeps it to $1,399 while MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro lists $2,499. That $1,100 edge counts since launch price is the cleanest baseline for value.
Pros and cons
MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro
Pros
- M4 Pro with 24 GB memory
- 16.2-inch 120 Hz mini-LED display
- Longest MacBook battery
- Better weight (2.14 kg)
- Better RAM (24 GB)
- Better rated battery life (24 h)
Cons
- Weaker refresh rate (120 Hz)
- Weaker base SSD (512 GB)
- Weaker launch price (USD) ($2,499)
Lenovo Legion 5i
Pros
- RTX 4060 at a mid-range price
- 165 Hz 16-inch display
- Excellent keyboard for gaming
- Better weight (2.4 kg)
- Better RAM (16 GB)
- Better rated battery life (7 h)
Cons
- Weaker refresh rate (165 Hz)
- Weaker base SSD (1,024 GB)
- Weaker launch price (USD) ($1,399)
Which one should you buy?
Choose Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro) for…
Video editors and developers who need sustained power and a big display. It stands out for m4 pro with 24 gb memory, 16.2-inch 120 hz mini-led display, longest macbook battery.
Choose Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9, 16-inch) for…
Gamers who want strong 1080p/1600p performance without paying for a thin chassis. It stands out for rtx 4060 at a mid-range price, 165 hz 16-inch display, excellent keyboard for gaming.
Final verdict
With VersusAnything Scores of 44 and 45, neither laptop has a meaningful overall lead. Decide on the rows you will feel daily: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro for video editors and developers who need sustained power and a big display, Lenovo Legion 5i for gamers who want strong 1080p/1600p performance without paying for a thin chassis. The VersusAnything Score is a transparent starting point, not a command; weight the rows you care about and the right answer for you may differ.
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Frequently asked questions
Is MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro better than Lenovo Legion 5i?
Not overall: they score 44 and 45 on our category weighting, which we treat as level. MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro is the better fit for video editors and developers who need sustained power and a big display, and Lenovo Legion 5i for gamers who want strong 1080p/1600p performance without paying for a thin chassis.
What is the biggest difference between MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro and Lenovo Legion 5i?
The largest gap is screen size: MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro lists 16.2" while Lenovo Legion 5i lists 16". A bigger screen helps multitasking but adds bulk to your bag.
Which is cheaper, MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro or Lenovo Legion 5i?
Lenovo Legion 5i is cheaper on launch price (USD): $1,399 against $2,499 for MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro. Street prices vary by country and retailer, so check current offers.
Who should choose Lenovo Legion 5i over MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro?
Lenovo Legion 5i is the better fit for gamers who want strong 1080p/1600p performance without paying for a thin chassis. Its strongest points are rtx 4060 at a mid-range price, 165 hz 16-inch display, excellent keyboard for gaming.
Sources
- MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro: Apple MacBook Pro page (manufacturer)
- Lenovo Legion 5i: Lenovo Legion page (manufacturer)
Specifications last verified: 2026-10-01. Prices are launch or official list prices in US dollars unless stated. See our sources and data policy.