Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) vs Dell Pro Max 16 (2025)

Which Laptop Is Better?

Products

Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024)
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025)

Tested using Methodology v0.9

Updated Nov 18, 2025 07:16 PM

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Apple.com

Tested using Methodology v0.9

Updated Jan 23, 2026 07:37 PM

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Walmart.com
  1. Recommended in 2 articles:
  2. Workstation
  3. 15-16 Inch

Our Verdict

Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024)

Dell Pro Max 16 (2025)

The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) is much better than the Dell Pro Max 16 (2025). Not only can you get more performance from the MacBook Pro, but you also get a far superior user experience, thanks to its more premium build, well-calibrated Mini LED display, more tactile keyboard, larger haptic touchpad, and better-sounding speakers. The MacBook Pro is also a better option for on-the-go use, as it has a more compact design and significantly longer battery life.

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Variants

  • MacBook Pro 16 (MX2V3LL/A) (Silver - M4 Max (14-Core CPU, 32-Core GPU)/36GB/1TB)
  • MacBook Pro 16 (MX2W3LL/A) (Silver - M4 Max (16-Core CPU, 40-Core GPU)/48GB/1TB)
  • Pro Max 16 (D55TP) (Black - FHD+/Ultra 5 235H/16GB/256GB)
  • Pro Max 16 (42VDY) (Black - FHD+/Ultra 7 255H/16GB/512GB)

Main Differences for
General Productivity

Threshold 

0.10

General Productivity 
 

8.6
6.9

Battery Life (Web Browsing) 
 

13.0 hrs
9.2 hrs

Keyboard 
 

8.0
5.5

CPU/RAM Performance 
 

8.9
8.0

Brightness 
 

9.1
7.3

Full Comparison

Design

Style 
 

Style Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Style Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Style Photo

Form Factor 
 

Traditional (Clamshell)
Traditional (Clamshell)
Show Text 

Build Quality 
 

9.5
8.0

Build Quality Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Build Quality Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Build Quality Photo
Show Text 

Hinge 
 

9.1
7.0

Hinge Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Hinge Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Hinge Photo

Range 
 

135°
185°

Stability 
 

Good
Good

One Finger Lift 
 

Yes
No
Show Text 

Portability 
 

7.0
6.6

Dimensions Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Dimensions Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Dimensions Photo

Size 
 

16"
16"

Thickness 
 

0.7" (1.7 cm)
1.2" (3.2 cm)

Width 
 

14.0" (35.5 cm)
14.1" (35.8 cm)

Depth 
 

9.8" (24.8 cm)
10.1" (25.7 cm)

Volume 
 

91.3 in³ (1,496.7 cm³)
176.9 in³ (2,898.2 cm³)

Weight 
 

4.9 lbs (2.2 kg)
4.6 lbs (2.1 kg)

Charger Size 
 

13.7 in³ (225.0 cm³)
11.9 in³ (195.4 cm³)

Charger Weight 
 

1.3 lbs (0.6 kg)
0.8 lbs (0.4 kg)

Serviceability 
 

3.5
8.9

Internals Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Internals Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Internals Photo

Ease Of Access 
 

6.0
8.5

RAM Slots 
 

0
2

Storage Slots 
 

0
2

Replaceable Battery 
 

Yes
Yes

Replaceable Wireless Adapter 
 

No
Yes
Show Text 

In The Box 
 

In The Box Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) In The Box Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) In The Box Photo
Show Text 
Display

Screen Specs 
 

Display Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Display Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Display Photo

Resolution 
 

3456 x 2234
1920 x 1200

Aspect Ratio 
 

16:10
16:10

Pixel Density 
 

254 PPI
141 PPI

Panel Type 
 

IPS
IPS

Touch Screen 
 

No
No

Screen-To-Body Ratio 
 

90%
86%
Show Text 

Refresh Rate 
 

8.7
5.9

Motion Blur 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Motion Blur
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Motion Blur

Refresh Rate 
 

120 Hz
60 Hz

Variable Refresh Rate 
 

Apple ProMotion
No
Show Text 

Contrast 
 

10
7.4

Contrast Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Contrast Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Contrast Photo

Native Contrast 
 

53,450 : 1
1,371 : 1
Show Text 

Brightness 
 

9.1
7.3

Maximum Brightness 
 

604 cd/m²
324 cd/m²

Minimum Brightness 
 

3 cd/m²
19 cd/m²
Show Text 

Reflections 
 

8.8
6.9

Reflections Photo Off 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Reflections Photo Off
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Reflections Photo Off

Reflections Photo Max 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Reflections Photo Max
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Reflections Photo Max

Screen Finish 
 

Glossy
Matte

Total Reflections 
 

1.92%
6.42%

Indirect Reflections 
 

0.18%
5.2%

Calculated Direct Reflections 
 

1.74%
1.21%
Show Text 

Black Uniformity 
 

10
7.1

Black Uniformity Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Black Uniformity Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Black Uniformity Photo

Uniformity (Std. Dev.) 
 

0.088%
1.229%

Out-Of-The-Box Color Accuracy 
 

9.9
6.3

White Balance Screencap 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) White Balance Screencap
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) White Balance Screencap

Gamma Curve Screencap 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Gamma Curve Screencap
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Gamma Curve Screencap

Color Screencap 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Color Screencap
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Color Screencap

Avg. White Balance dE 
 

1.39
2.74

Avg. Gamma 
 

2.21
2.27

Avg. Color dE 
 

0.93
5.12

Avg. Color Temperature 
 

6,331.2 K
7,023.4 K
Show Text 

Color Gamut 
 

9.5
4.3

Gamut SDR 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Gamut SDR
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Gamut SDR

sRGB xy 
 

99.99%
65.8%

sRGB uv 
 

99.98%
56.67%

Adobe RGB xy 
 

88.85%
49.09%

Adobe RGB uv 
 

93.81%
48.91%

Gamut HDR 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Gamut HDR
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Gamut HDR

DCI-P3 xy 
 

99.89%
48.81%

DCI-P3 uv 
 

99.81%
45.44%

Rec. 2020 xy 
 

73.27%
35.02%

Rec. 2020 uv 
 

74.17%
33.11%
Show Text 

Flicker 
 

9.0
10

Flicker Graph 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Flicker Graph
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Flicker Graph

Flicker-Free 
 

No
Yes

Flicker Frequency 
 

> 1000Hz
No Flicker

Flicker Active Below 
 

100%
0%
Show Text 
Interface

Keyboard 
 

8.0
5.5

Keyboard Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Keyboard Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Keyboard Photo

Typing Quality 
 

8.0
6.5

Numpad 
 

No
Yes

Backlighting 
 

Adjustable
No

Key Switch Actuation Graph  

 Preview Graph
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Key Switch Actuation Graph
 Preview Graph
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Key Switch Actuation Graph

Operating Force 
 

60 gf
69 gf

Actuation Force 
 

38 gf
32 gf

Pre-Travel 
 

0.78 mm
1.08 mm

Total Travel 
 

0.85 mm
1.65 mm
Show Text 

Touchpad 
 

9.7
8.3

Touchpad Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Touchpad Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Touchpad Photo

Tracking Quality 
 

9.5
8.0

Size 
 

24.8 in² (160.0 cm²)
17.1 in² (110.4 cm²)

Material 
 

Glass
Glass

Dedicated Buttons 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Speakers 
 

8.8
6.0

Frequency Response Plot  

 Preview Graph
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Frequency Response Plot
 Preview Graph
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Frequency Response Plot

Max Volume 
 

77 dB SPL
80 dB SPL

Standard Error @ Normal Vol. (65 dB) 
 

4.2 dB
8.3 dB

Slope @ Normal Vol. (65 dB) 
 

0.4
-1.5

Bass Extension (Low-Frequency Ext.) 
 

122 Hz
446 Hz

Treble Extension (High-Frequency Ext.) 
 

20 kHz
14 kHz

Dynamic Range Compression @ Max Vol. 
 

1.8 dB
0.9 dB
Show Text 

Webcam & Microphone 
 

9.1
7.0

Webcam Video Sample  

Video Quality 
 

9.5
6.5

Resolution 
 

1080p
1080p

Position 
 

Top Center
Top Center

Privacy Cover 
 

No
Yes

Face Unlock 
 

No
No
Show Text 
Connectivity

Ports 
 

8.5
8.5

Ports Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Ports Photo
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Ports Photo

USB-A Ports 
 

0
2

USB-C Ports 
 

3
2

Thunderbolt 
 

Thunderbolt 5
Thunderbolt 4

USB-C Charging 
 

Yes
Yes

USB-C Display Out 
 

Yes
Yes

HDMI 
 

2.1
2.0

DisplayPort 
 

No
No

3.5mm Jack 
 

Combo mic/headphone
Combo mic/headphone

Card Reader 
 

SD UHS 2
MicroSD UHS 2

Ethernet 
 

No
Yes

Proprietary Port 
 

Apple MagSafe 3
No

Security Lock 
 

No
Yes
Show Text 

Wireless Communication 
 

Wi-Fi 
 

Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)

Bluetooth 
 

5.3
5.3
Show Text 
Configuration

CPU 
 

Brand 
 

Apple
Intel

Model 
 

M4 Max
Core Ultra 9 285H

Core Count 
 

16
16

Thread Count 
 

16
16
Show Text 

GPU 
 

Brand 
 

Apple
Intel

Model 
 

M4 Max
Arc Pro 140T GPU

Dedicated/Integrated 
 

Integrated
Integrated

VRAM Size 
 

N/A
N/A

GPU Total Graphics Power (TGP) 
 

N/A
N/A
Show Text 

RAM 
 

Capacity 
 

48 GB
32 GB

Modules 
 

Unknown
2

Type 
 

LP-DDR5x
DDR5

Speed 
 

8,533 MHz
5,600 MHz
Show Text 

Storage 
 

Advertised Capacity 
 

1,000 GB
256 GB

Usable Capacity 
 

958 GB
164 GB

Drive 1 
 

Apple SSD AP1024Z
Micron 2550

Drive 1 Type  

SSD
SSD

Drive 2 
 

No 2nd Drive
No 2nd Drive

Drive 2 Type  

No 2nd Drive
No 2nd Drive
Show Text 
Performance

CPU/RAM Performance 
 

8.9
8.0

Cinebench 2024 - Single Core 
 

179 points
127 points

Cinebench 2024 - Multi Core 
 

2,067 points
1,133 points

Geekbench 6 - Single Core 
 

3,910
2,936

Geekbench 6 - Multi Core 
 

26,053
16,334

Blender - CPU (Avg) 
 

169 samples/min
91 samples/min

PassMark PT - CPU Mark 
 

43,766
39,601

PassMark PT - Memory Mark 
 

6,039
3,020

PassMark PT - Memory Mark (Android) 
 

N/A
N/A

Mozilla Kraken 
 

253 ms
287 ms

Low Tier Graphics 
 

8.3
7.6

Geekbench 6 - GPU Compute 
 

195,622
40,821

Basemark Web 3.0 
 

2,461
1,649

PassMark PT - 2D Mark 
 

N/A
915

PassMark PT - 2D Mark (Android) 
 

N/A
N/A

PassMark PT - 3D Mark 
 

N/A
6,722

PassMark PT - 3D Mark (Android) 
 

N/A
N/A

Novabench 5 - GPU 
 

812.0
223.0

mprep - Stress My GPU 
 

39,837
31,733

High Tier Graphics 
 

8.3
6.8

3DMark - Steel Nomad (DX12) 
 

N/A
2,926

3DMark - Steel Nomad (Vulkan/Metal) 
 

3,579
2,967

Basemark GPU (DX12) 
 

N/A
26,725

Basemark GPU (Vulkan/Metal) 
 

177,985
32,875

GFXBench - High Level Test (Vulkan/Metal) 
 

15,515 Frames
N/A

Professional 3D (GPU Accelerated) 
 

6.6
0.9

Blender - GPU (Avg) 
 

1,740 samples/min
240 samples/min

Cinebench 2024 - GPU 
 

16,676 points
N/A

CPU-Intensive Game Performance 
 

8.3
5.9

Civilization VII - AI 
 

14.0 s/turn
16.1 s/turn

Civilization VII - Graphics (Avg) 
 

239.4 fps
86.4 fps

Civilization VII - Graphics (1% Low) 
 

108.4 fps
61.7 fps

Total War: Warhammer III (Avg) 
 

82.1 fps
17.6 fps

Baldur's Gate 3 (Avg) 
 

113.7 fps
27.1 fps

Baldur's Gate 3 (1% Low) 
 

60.0 fps
14.6 fps

Previous Methodology Score 
 

8.2
7.0

Previous Methodology Score Converted 
 

7.7
6.4

GPU-Intensive Game Performance 
 

6.7
3.2

Cyberpunk 2077 (Avg) 
 

63.0 fps
21.0 fps

Cyberpunk 2077 (Min) 
 

54.0 fps
17.9 fps

Assassin's Creed Shadows (Avg) 
 

31 fps
13 fps

Assassin's Creed Shadows (1% Low) 
 

22 fps
12 fps

GTA V (Avg) 
 

N/A
23.3 fps

GTA V (1% Low) 
 

N/A
17.8 fps

Black Myth: Wukong (Avg) 
 

N/A
7 fps

Black Myth: Wukong (5% Low) 
 

N/A
6 fps

Resident Evil 4 (Avg) 
 

135.6 fps
19.7 fps

Resident Evil 4 (1% Low) 
 

101.2 fps
14.2 fps

Previous Methodology Score 
 

8.5
6.3

Previous Methodology Score Converted 
 

7.0
4.5

Ray Tracing Performance 
 

4.4
1.2

Cyberpunk 2077 (Avg) 
 

41.5 fps
11.1 fps

Cyberpunk 2077 (Min) 
 

34.2 fps
9.3 fps

Assassin's Creed Shadows (Avg) 
 

22 fps
8 fps

Assassin's Creed Shadows (1% Low) 
 

17 fps
7 fps

Black Myth: Wukong (Avg) 
 

N/A
1 fps

Black Myth: Wukong (5% Low) 
 

N/A
1 fps

Storage Drive Performance 
 

9.0
9.3

Sequential Write Speed 
 

5,844.7 MB/s
1,485.3 MB/s

Sequential Read Speed 
 

2,555.5 MB/s
3,257.0 MB/s

Random Write Speed 
 

43.1 MB/s
89.7 MB/s

Random Read Speed 
 

41.0 MB/s
49.0 MB/s
Show Text 

Battery 
 

9.5
7.5

Capacity 
 

100 Wh
64 Wh

Battery Life (Web Browsing) 
 

13.0 hrs
9.2 hrs

Battery Life (Video Playback) 
 

12.6 hrs
7.8 hrs

Battery Life (Gaming) 
 

1.9 hrs
1.5 hrs

Charge Time 
 

1.7 hrs
2.4 hrs
Show Text 

Thermals And Noise 
 

6.5
7.4

Keyboard Temps Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Keyboard Temps Picture
Compare High-Res
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Keyboard Temps Picture

Keyboard Temp While Idle 
 

30 °C (86 °F)
32 °C (90 °F)

Keyboard Temp Under Load 
 

48 °C (119 °F)
41 °C (106 °F)

Fan Noise While Idle 
 

25.0 dBA
25.0 dBA

Fan Noise Under Load 
 

51.6 dBA
49.2 dBA

Power & Fan Control App 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Performance Over Time 
 

10
10

Performance Over Time Graph  

 Preview Graph
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024) Performance Over Time Graph
 Preview Graph
Dell Pro Max 16 (2025) Performance Over Time Graph

CPU Temp (Cinebench) 
 

95 °C
81 °C

CPU Perf. Loss (Cinebench) 
 

0% loss
0% loss

GPU Temp (Heaven) 
 

80 °C
57 °C

GPU Perf. Loss (Heaven) 
 

0% loss
0% loss
Show Text 
Additional Features And Software

Software 
 

Operating System 
 

macOS
Windows 11

Additional Software 
 

None
Yes
Show Text 

Extra Features 
 

Biometrics 
 

Fingerprint Sensor
No

RGB Illumination 
 

No
No

Touch Pen Support 
 

No Stylus Support
No Stylus Support

Secondary Display 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M4, 2024)

Dell Pro Max 16 (2025)

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