Samsung just unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra, a 16-inch monster of a laptop, so naturally we're going to pit it up against the new MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023.
This is a look from afar kind of face off, so don't expect to walk away with a 100% accurate reading. However, it's usually tough to dethrone a MacBook Pro, especially considering how much firepower they can pack. But keep in mind that you're paying a fortune for said power.
Here's a brief look at the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra vs. MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra vs. MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023: Specs compared
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra | MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023) |
| CPU | 13th Gen Intel Core i7/i9 (45w TDP) | Apple M2 Pro 12-Core CPU |
| GPU | RTX 4050/4070 GPU | 19-38 Core GPU |
| RAM | 16GB - 32GB | 16GB - 96GB |
| Storage | 512GB - 1TB SSD | 512GB - 8TB SSD |
| Display | 16-inch 3K Dynamic Amoled 120Hz | 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR 3456 x 2234-pixel display |
| Size | 14 x 9.9 x 0.64 inches | 14 x 9.7 x 0.66 inches |
| Weight | 3.9 pounds | 4.8 pounds |
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra vs. MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023: Design
Oh boy, what do I say about the uncolorful monotony of these two laptops? The MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023 repeats its incredibly tired design, while the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra copied that same design. Competing with Apple shouldn't be the same as becoming Apple.
The exterior of both laptops feature dark metal paint alongside a logo. It really screams "I have no personality." The interior of the laptops differ slightly, but overall go for that same black and metal aesthetic. The MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023 surrounds its smaller keyboard with two top-firing speakers, while the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra features a full edge-to-edge keyboard. You have to decide whether you want bigger sound or a bigger keyboard.
At 14 x 9.9 x 0.64 inches and 3.9 pounds, the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra is nearly a whole pound lighter than the MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023, which comes in at 14 x 9.7 x 0.66 inches and 4.8 pounds.
What I initially thought was a draw actually turned in Samsung's favor. Lighter is better.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra vs. MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023: Ports
Pffft, this is easy. Apple is famous for ditching ports, and even with the additional ports on the MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023, it still loses out to the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra. Here's why.
The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra is outfitted with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, one USB Type-A port, a headphone jack, and a microSD card slot. Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023 packs three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, a headphone jack, and an SDXC card slot.
What's the MacBook missing? A Type-A port -- the most common I/O port there is.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra vs. MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023: Display
Both Apple and Samsung are known for their gorgeous displays, but specs alone, there can only be one victor.
The MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023 features a 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR 3456 x 2234 display, while the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra sports a 16.0-inch AMOLED 2880 x 1800 display. So far, Apple has the sharper panel.
When it comes to color and brightness, Samsung claims 400 nits and 120% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, while Apple comes up with 447 nits and 83.7% of the DCI-P3 color gamut in Tom's Guide's review. The color difference is more stark than the brightness, so I'd prefer Samsung in this case.
They both feature a 120Hz refresh rate and a 16:10 ratio.
While I do like that Samsung has more color to offer, Apple provides a bigger display at a higher resolution with more brightness.
Winner: MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra vs. MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023: Performance
Samsung is packing a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 or i9 (45w TDP) CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 or 4070 GPU, while MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023 offers the Apple M2 Pro or Max 12-Core CPU and 19-38 Core GPU.
We can't comment on performance at the moment because we haven't tested Samsung's device yet, but we'll briefly mention Wccftech's report. It claims that the RTX 4070 beat out the M2 Max on an OpenCL benchmark in a 35% performance difference.
If you want to make a rash purchase, you can keep the above in mind, but overall, wait until we get the real numbers side by side. It's likely that Apple will crush the CPU test, so it'll end up coming down to what you want to prioritize: CPU or GPU.
Winner: TBD
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra vs. MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023: Battery life
While we don't have the numbers for the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra, I severely doubt that it'll beat the MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023's battery life of 18 hours and 56 minutes. So let's go home early on this one and call Apple the winner.
Winner: MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023
Outlook
We can't give you an official winner at the moment, but what I can tell you is that you're getting the better design and ports from the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra. Conversely, you're getting the better display and battery life from the MacBook Pro 16-inch 2023.
It's practically a draw at the moment, but once we bring in price and performance in, I'm placing my bets on Samsung, only because Apple has a terrible price for performance ratio.
