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ISSUE № 219 · MAY 31, 2026

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Updated April 2026 PIXLRUN · COMPARE LAB v3

Compare
anything.

A laboratory-grade side-by-side that scores phones, laptops and headphones on the things buyers actually feel — not the spec-sheet poetry manufacturers print on the box.

1,284

Devices benchmarked

Lab metrics per unit

94%

Reader trust score

Affiliate sponsorships

Side-by-side index Live catalogue Catalogue live

The duel.
Two phones, one verdict.

Lab-tested over 14 days each. Identical conditions, identical workloads, scored on a calibrated 100-point rubric.

Apple · 2026

PixlRun pick MacBook Pro M5 Pro 16-inch

MacBook Pro M5 Pro 16-inch

Unleash pro power in the ultimate 16-inch machine

Apple · 2024

MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max

The Pro Machine

Where each one wins.

Six pillars tailored to Laptop reviews — scored independently in our Victoria, BC lab. Bars animate to live values when in view.

Performance

Apple9.6

Battery

Apple +0.1

Apple9.5

Apple9.4

Display

Apple9.4

Keyboard

Apple9.4

Build

Apple +0.1

Apple9.7

Apple9.6

Value

Apple +0.2

Apple8.8

Apple8.6

The full spec sheet.

Grouped by what matters to use, not by alphabet. Winners highlighted with an acid dot.

Display

DisplayPrevious : Retina Display (13 inches (330 mm)) Current : Liquid Retina XDR Display (14.2-inch (360 mm) and 16.2-inch (410 mm))

Performance

System on a chipApple M series

Memory8 - 128 GB unified memory (on-package LPDDR4X , LPDDR5 , LPDDR5X )

Memory36GB / 48GB / 64GB / 128GB

StorageSoldered solid-state drive : 256 GB - 8 TB storage

Storage1TB / 2TB / 4TB / 8TB SSD

Removable storageSD card

Camera

CameraFaceTime 720p or 1080p

Body & Build

TouchpadForce touch trackpad

Connectivity

ConnectivityWireless: Wi-Fi , Bluetooth Wired ports: MagSafe charging port, USB-C , Thunderbolt , HDMI

General

DeveloperApple

ManufacturerFoxconn Pegatron

Product familyMacBook

TypeLaptop

ReleasedNovember 17, 2020 ; 5 years ago ( 2020-11-17 )

MediaUSB , full-size SDXC card

GraphicsApple-designed integrated graphics

PowerUp to 99.6 Wh battery and 140 W GaN power adapter

Online servicesOptional on online configurations: Final Cut Pro , Logic Pro

Marketing targetProfessional use

Backward compatibilitySupports x86 software with Rosetta 2

PredecessorMacBook Pro (Intel-based)

RelatedMacBook Air (Apple silicon); iMac (Apple silicon); Mac Mini (Apple silicon); Mac Studio; Mac Pro

Operating systemmacOS

The verdict.

After 14 days each, in real-world use — here's how we'd actually spend the money.

PixlRun verdict · May 2026

It is a coin flip. Either picks lose nothing the other has.

MacBook Pro M5 Pro 16-inch takes the overall win at 9.5/10. MacBook Pro M5 Pro 16-inch: Unleash pro power in the ultimate 16-inch machine. MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max: The Pro Machine.

See MacBook Pro M5 Pro 16-inch review See MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max

PixlRun Lab Score

Composite · 14-day test cycle

MacBook Pro M5 Pro 16-inch9.5

MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max9.5

Margin0.0

ConfidenceClose call

CHAPTER 03 · PERFORMANCE LAB

Performance bench.

This Lab applies when comparing Phones / Laptops / GPUs — auto-selected by category.

The synthetic suite is a starting line, not a finish line. Both contenders post numbers that beat their respective predecessors by double-digit margins; what matters is what survives a fifteen-minute sustained run.

Synthetic suite — single run, 25 °C

Geekbench 6 Single . Geekbench 6 Multi . Cinebench R24 MT . Cinebench R24 SC . 3DMark Time Spy

Bench MacBook Pro M5 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max Δ

Geekbench 6 Single 3,625 3,625 0%

Geekbench 6 Multi 21,500 21,500 0%

Cinebench R24 MT 2,320 2,320 0%

Cinebench R24 SC 157 157 0%

3DMark Time Spy 21,300 21,300 0%

CHAPTER 04 · BATTERY LAB

Endurance bench.

This Lab applies when comparing Phones / Laptops / Wearables — auto-selected by category.

The spec sheet wins minutes. Sustained use wins hours.

Endurance discharge curve

Web + office workload, 150 nits, Wi-Fi · 100% → 0% · representative real-world load

MacBook Pro M5 Pro 16-inch 17 h 21 min to 0%

MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max 17 h 21 min to 0%

Delta winner +0 h 00 min A total runtime

Fast charge to 50% 38 / 38 min A / B

Endurance is where marketing decks die. A peak benchmark looks good in a chart, but the working day is decided by how the device behaves at hour eight, throttled, warm, and on a single charge. In this test the difference between the two contenders is small in absolute terms and large in everyday consequence.

CHAPTER 06 · DISPLAY LAB

Display lab.

This Lab applies when comparing Phones / Monitors / TVs / Laptops — auto-selected by category.

Coverage numbers are easy to win. Sustained HDR brightness, black level, and color accuracy under continuous load are the panels that earn the badge.

Color gamut coverage · Klein K10-A colorimeter

% coverage of each color standard · pre-calibration, factory profile

MacBook Pro M5 Pro 16-inch HDR peak 1,545 2% window, 0.5 s · nits

MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max HDR peak 1,545 2% window, 0.5 s · nits

MacBook Pro M5 Pro 16-inch sustained 873 nit 10 min full white

Contrast ratio 100000 : 1 static contrast

Color accuracy ΔE vs reference

24-patch ColorChecker Passport 2 · lower is better

Brightness vs APL

Average picture level · nits sustained 30 s

“Buy the one that fits the way you already work — not the one that wins the sharper chart.”

BOGARTLG · FINAL CALL

FINAL VERDICT · 2026.05.31

CHAPTER 09 · THE CALL

The verdict.

Neither contender disappoints. If you don’t already belong to a tribe, buy the MacBook Pro M5 Pro 16-inch. It is the better tool for the workflows it has been refined inside of. The MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max is the smarter experiment, the more open platform, and the kinder companion to a longer working day.

▌ FOR THE WORKFLOW NATIVE