There’s no laptop quite like the MacBook Pro right now. No alternatives on the Windows side can match the power, efficiency, and battery life in a laptop of this size — and that’s not even mentioning the Pro’s premium features and design.
There are, however, a few laptops that come close, while undercutting it significantly in price. So, if you’re looking for a proper Windows alternative to the more powerful configurations of the MacBook Pro, or even just a cheaper laptop that can replicate some of what the MacBook Pro can do, here are a few solid options to consider before shelling out the cash on a MacBook Pro.
HP Envy 16
The design is fairly nice too, with a silver metal chassis, a great keyboard and trackpad, and plenty of ports. It’s missing a full-size SD card slot, unfortunately, but the other ports you might need are all available, including USB-A, which the MacBook Pro doesn’t have.
It’s slightly thicker and heavier than the 16-inch MacBook Pro, weighing 6 pounds and measuring at 0.78 inches thick. You’re going to feel that almost entire extra pound of weight when you carry this around. And, of course, the RTX 4060 is as high as the graphics go, which won’t get you close to what the M3 Max can do. For the price, however, this could be a great option, especially if you’re just starting out in the world of content creation.
Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
The Slim Pro 9i also does a solid job of replicating the footprint and size of the MacBook Pro, nearly matching it in thickness and weight. Again, being locked at an RTX 4060 means it can’t compete with the M3 Max, but the Slim Pro 9i is a great option if you want something cheaper that also comes with a fantastic screen.
Asus ProArt Studiobook 16
It should be noted that the Studiobook 16 is a bit chunkier than any of the other options, coming in at 0.94 inches thick. It also has a thermal shelf on the back, making for a larger footprint on the table. In exchange, you get some great performance, the aforementioned OLED screen, and the unique Asus Dial, which could come in handy for some applications and workflows.
Dell XPS 14
However, it can’t quite compete with the MacBook Pro in terms of performance, as it’s limited to the RTX 4050 in terms of graphics. It’s also fairly lacking in ports, while going toe-to-toe in terms of price. There’s also a larger XPS 16 available that offers better performance with up to an RTX 4060. We haven’t tested that one ourselves yet, but it’s sure to be a serviceable alternative to the MacBook Pro, even if it can’t quite compete against the M3 Max.
I haven’t mentioned battery life so far on this list, and that’s because none of these options comes anywhere close to the MacBook Pro in that regard. Apple’s laptops nearly double most of these in our battery tests, and that’s an aspect of these machines that just can’t be duplicated. The XPS 14, while offering decent battery life considering the resolution of the screen, is no different.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
As far as being able to replicate the insane efficiency of the 14-inch MacBook Pro, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option. It matches the MacBook Pro in terms of a premium build, as it’s adopted an all-aluminum chassis this time around. It’s also dramatically increased the size of the touchpad, while reducing the thickness and weight of the overall laptop. It’s now right around the size of the MacBook Pro.
The new G14 also adds an incredible 120Hz OLED panel, while allowing for configurations of up to an RTX 4070. In terms of performance, that makes this the best overall alternative to the MacBook Pro M3 Max. If you go for the larger ROG G16, you’ll even get an option for the RTX 4080. It’s as close to the complete package that we have for a true alternative to the MacBook Pro right now.
Editors’ Recommendations
