Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) vs ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition
66.2Performance62.7
74.3Display38.4
77.1Battery42.7
53Portability91.8
5 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max)2 spec wins — ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) wins this laptop face-off, 68.2 to 57.4, pulling ahead mainly in display (+36) and battery (+34). ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max)
- Stronger performance score: 66 vs 63
- Stronger display score: 74 vs 38
- Stronger battery score: 77 vs 43
- 220% higher Peak brightness: 1,600 nits vs 500 nits
- 115% higher charging: 140 W vs 65 W
Reasons to pick the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition
- Stronger portability score: 92 vs 53
- 55% lower weight: 0.98 kg vs 2.16 kg
- 15% lower thickness: 14.3 mm vs 16.8 mm
- Lower launch price: $1,999 vs $3,499
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16.2 ″+16% | 14 ″ |
| Panel type | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) | OLED |
| Resolution | 3456x2234 | 2880 x 1800 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,600 nits+220% | 500 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M3 Max (14-core) | Intel Core Ultra 7 |
| Graphics | Apple M3 Max 30-core GPU | Intel Arc Graphics |
| RAM | 36 GB+13% | 32 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5 (unified) | LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 1,024 GB | 1,024 GB |
| Storage type | NVMe SSD | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,120Top 15% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 20,200Top 12% | — |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 100 Wh+75% | 57 Wh |
| Web browsing endurance | 13 h | — |
| Charging | 140 W+115% | 65 W |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 2.16 kg | 0.98 kg+55% |
| Thickness | 16.8 mm | 14.3 mm+15% |
| Material | Aluminum | Carbon fiber and magnesium alloy |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm | 2x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm combo audio jack |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Webcam | 1080p FaceTime HD | 1080p FHD IR camera with privacy shutter |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | Fingerprint reader, Windows Hello facial recognition |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Sonoma | Windows 11 Pro |
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