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Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)
Apple

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)

Flagship 16-inch Pro that made Apple silicon unavoidable

Laptops
—/10What the pros sayPendingExpert consensusSee score breakdown ↓
Storage
Buying call

Buy the 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro if you want the big XDR canvas with M1 Pro/Max and the I/O reboot. Reviewers praised performance and battery versus Windows workstations. Skip Max unless you live in ProRes — most buyers are fine with Pro.

Full verdict ↓
Lowest new price · 512GBCheck price0 retailers
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Editor testedHands-on testing and real-world use
Real-world useBased on everyday testing, not a spec sheet
Unbiased reviewIndependent and objective, sources shown
MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)Check priceSee price
Key specs
Panel type
Liquid Retina XDR display
Battery
Up to 21 hours Apple TV app movie playback, Up to 14 hours wireless web
Highlights

Specs that matter

Display
Size
16.2" (411 mm)
Refresh
120 Hz
Brightness
1000 nits
Performance
Processor
Apple M1 Pro
GPU
16-core GPU
RAM
16 GB
Storage
512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB
Body
Weight
4.63 lb (2.1 kg)
Dimensions
height: 0.66 inch (1.68 cm); width: 14.01 inches (35.57 cm); depth: 9.77 inches (24.81 cm)
At a glance

Product highlights

Verified attributes, grouped for quick scanning.

Display16.2" (411 mm) · 120 Hz
ChipsetApple M1 Pro16 GB RAM · 16-core GPU
RAM / storage16 GB · 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB
Weight4.63 lb (2.1 kg)height: 0.66 inch (1.68 cm); width: 14.01 inches (35.57 cm); depth: 9.77 inches (24.81 cm)
26 attributes · See all specifications
Price & availability

Where to buy

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Available in 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB.
Buying decision

Should you buy it?

Buy the 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro if you want the big XDR canvas with M1 Pro/Max and the I/O reboot. Reviewers praised performance and battery versus Windows workstations. Skip Max unless you live in ProRes — most buyers are fine with Pro.

Best for

Desk-bound video and 3D pros on macOS

Not for

Ultraportable seekers

Main strengthHuge Mini-LED XDR panel
Main weaknessHeavy and pricey at Max configs
Reasons to buy
Huge Mini-LED XDR panel
M1 Max handles heavy ProRes timelines
Full pro port mix restored
Battery embarrasses Windows workstations
Reasons to avoid
Heavy and pricey at Max configs
Notch in the menu bar
Superseded by later M-series Pros
Measured view—/10What the pros say.
Head to head

How it stacks up

Open a comparison for the full side-by-side view.

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Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)
This deviceMacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)
VS
AlternativeMacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro / M4 Max, 2024)
Display
16.2"16.2"
Chipset
M1 ProM4 Pro: 14-core CPU (10P+4E) / 20-core GPU, 273GB/s; M4 Max: 14-core CPU / 32-core GPU (410GB/s) or 16-core CPU (12P+4E) / 40-core GPU (546GB/s); 16-core Neural
Full comparison
Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)
This deviceMacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)
VS
AlternativeMacBook Pro 16-inch with PROLED XDR Display
Display
16.2"16.3"
Chipset
M1 ProM5 Pro (18-core CPU/20-core GPU, 307GB/s) or M5 Max (18-core CPU with 32-core GPU at 460GB/s or 40-core GPU at 614GB/s); 16-core Neural Engine; Neural Accelerat
Full comparison
Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)
This deviceMacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)
VS
AlternativeMacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024)
Display
16.2"14.2"
Chipset
M1 ProM4: 10-core CPU (4P+6E), 10-core GPU, hardware ray tracing, 16-core Neural Engine, 120GB/s
Full comparison
Same category

Alternatives worth a look

Other phones in the database, with their stored scores and prices.

All laptops →
—
AppleMacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro / M4 Max, 2024)16.2" (411 mm) · M4 Pro: 14-core CPU (10P+4E) / 20-core GPU, 273GB/s; M4 Max: 14-core CPU / 32-core GPU (410GB/s) or 16-core CPU (12P+4E) / 40-core GPU (546GB/s); 16-core Neural · 24 GB
—
AppleMacBook Pro 16-inch with PROLED XDR Display16.3" (414 mm) · M5 Pro (18-core CPU/20-core GPU, 307GB/s) or M5 Max (18-core CPU with 32-core GPU at 460GB/s or 40-core GPU at 614GB/s); 16-core Neural Engine; Neural Accelerat · 64 GB
—
AppleMacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024)14.2" (361 mm) · M4: 10-core CPU (4P+6E), 10-core GPU, hardware ray tracing, 16-core Neural Engine, 120GB/s · 16 GB
MacBook Pro 14-inch (M6)—
AppleMacBook Pro 14-inch (M6)14.2" (361 mm) · M6: 12-core CPU (2 super, 4 performance, 6 efficiency cores), 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators and hardware ray tracing, Dual 16-core Neural Engine, u · 16 GB
Product data

Full specifications

26 attributes, grouped for quick scanning. Spot a wrong value? Hit the next to it.

Display

Panel type
Liquid Retina XDR display
Brightness
1000
HDR
XDR / HDR

Performance

CPU cores
10-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores

Battery

Battery
Up to 21 hours Apple TV app movie playback, Up to 14 hours wireless web

Connectivity

Wireless
Wi-Fi 6 wireless networking; Bluetooth 5.0
Ports
  • Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports with support for:
  • Thunderbolt 4 (up to 40Gb/s)
  • USB-C) ports with support for:
  • HDMI port
  • MagSafe 3 port
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • SDXC card slot
Webcam
- 1080p FaceTime HD camera - Advanced image signal processor with computational video

Body

Dimensions
17 x 356 x 248 mm
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Community says

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Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021) Specs | Gadget Clash