Apple’s MacBook Pro has long been touted as the go-to laptop choice for professional creators for its high-end performance and elegant design. But Samsung now wants to give the MacBook Pro a serious rival by launching the powerful Galaxy Book 3 Ultra.
Samsung’s new 16-inch has enough performance to be a viable replacement for the MacBook Pro. As a result, we decided to create this comparison guide to show you the main differences between the two laptops.
However, please note that we have not yet fully reviewed the Galaxy Book3 Ultra or MacBook Pro (2023). So for now, we’re only going to compare spec sheets and first impressions.
Galaxy Book3 Ultra only available with 16 inch screen
If you’re the type of person who’s indecisive about which configuration to choose, you’ll at least be relieved that you don’t have to worry about choosing a screen size with Samsung’s new laptops. Only available for 16 inch displays.
In contrast, Apple offers its MacBook Pro in both 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, and if you work on the go often, you can settle for a more portable laptop. It also offers a Pro, but its specs are more like the MacBook Air than its fellow Pro siblings, so I’m reluctant to count it in this comparison.
By offering a 14-inch model, Apple is able to make the MacBook Pro more affordable, starting at £2,149. This makes the Galaxy Book3 Ultra look expensive at his £2449 starting price, but it’s actually cheaper than his latest 16-inch MacBook Pro (£2699).
Samsung laptops will feature chips from Intel and Nvida
The Galaxy Book3 Ultra packs some cutting-edge specs, including a 13th Gen Intel Core processor (i7 / i9) and options for Nvidia RTX 4050 or RTX 4070 GPUs.
All of these laptop components were first shown publicly in January 2023. We haven’t had a chance to see how well these chips score in benchmark tests, but you can expect them to be lightning fast.
The latest MacBook Pro is powered by Apple’s proprietary chip and offers M2 Pro or M2 Max options. Unlike Samsung laptops, the MacBook Pro’s CPU and GPU are built into the same chip. But don’t think Apple’s laptop is a slouch, with a stunning 30-core GPU in the best-in-class configuration.
We’ll have to wait for a full review for more detailed performance data, but both the Galaxy Book3 Ultra and MacBook Pro are remarkably capable of handling demanding creativity applications.
Samsung opts for AMOLED, Apple favors Mini LED
Both Apple and Samsung have invested heavily in laptop screen technology, but in different directions.
Galaxy Book3 Ultra features a 16-inch AMOLED 2X screen with 3K (2880×1880) resolution. After looking at the Ultra in person, I noticed that the AMOLED backlight allows the laptop to display great contrast. Colors look dazzlingly punchy, and dark scenes look impressively detailed.
Apple decided to use Mini LED panels instead. The main advantage of this is brightness. The MacBook Pro can reach a maximum brightness of 1000 nits for standard content and 1600 nits for HDR. For comparison, Samsunghe can only collect 400 nits of brightness.
The MacBook Pro also has a screen resolution of 3024×1964, boasting more pixels than the Samsung, resulting in sharper presentations.
However, there is no difference when it comes to refresh rate. Both laptops offer 120fps adaptive performance for smoother on-screen movement.
Galaxy Book3 Ultra is lighter and slimmer
The biggest problem with high-end laptops is that they typically have a heavy design, which makes them unsuitable for on-the-go work. MacBook Pro is far from the worst offender in this category, but the 16-inch model he reaches the scale of 2.15 kg.
For comparison, Samsung claims the Galaxy Book3 Ultra weighs just 1.79kg, making it noticeably lighter. It’s worth mentioning that the RTX 4070 is likely heavier, but it’s still impressive how Samsung managed to make the base model so portable.
When it comes to laptop thickness, Samsung once again impresses, with the Ultra measuring just 16.5 mm thick. His 16-inch MacBook is one of the thinnest high-performance laptops you can buy, but at 16.8mm it’s slightly larger than the Samsung.
The size difference may not be significant enough to be the main reason for choosing one laptop over the other, but we think it’s still worth considering. Don’t forget that you are It’s lightweight and slim, making it perfect for on-the-go work.
