Apple MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 2021 Review

If you're hunting for a used MacBook Pro that's still got some serious power for work, the 2021 14-inch model with the M1 Pro chip is a solid find. It's got that classic Apple build quality, 16GB of RAM, and a full 1TB of SSD storage, which is a great combo for most creative pros and developers. People often ask if the M1 Pro is still good in 2024, and for tasks like coding, photo editing, and running virtual machines, the answer is a definite yes. It's not the latest and greatest anymore, but it's a proven workhorse that you can snag for a lot less than a new one. Just be aware, the screen on this specific model is a low-resolution 720p panel, which is a major downgrade from the gorgeous Retina displays Apple is known for.

The 10-core M1 Pro chip is still plenty fast. In CPU benchmarks, it lands in the 62nd percentile, which means it beats out more than half of the laptops out there. For everyday multitasking, compiling code, or editing photos in Lightroom, it feels smooth and responsive. The integrated GPU is where things slow down. It's only in the 18th percentile, so don't expect to do serious video rendering or play modern games. This laptop is built for CPU-heavy tasks, not graphics. The 1TB SSD is quick too, helping apps and files load in a snap.

At around $815, this is a tricky one. You're getting Apple's legendary reliability and a powerful M1 Pro chip for a good price. But that terrible 720p screen is a massive compromise. For the same money, you could find a used Windows laptop with a much better display and a dedicated GPU for gaming. Or, you could spend a bit more for a used MacBook Pro with the proper Retina screen. This deal only makes sense if you plan to use it with an external monitor most of the time.

Compared to a newer MacBook Pro with an M4 chip, this is obviously slower and has worse battery life, but it costs a fraction of the price. Against a Windows competitor like the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, this MacBook gets destroyed in gaming and GPU tasks, but it wins on portability, battery life (likely), and macOS. The ASUS Zenbook Duo offers way more screen real estate for multi-tasking, and the MSI Vector is a pure gaming beast. This MacBook sits in a middle ground: it's a compact, reliable work machine for specific Apple-focused users who can look past the awful built-in screen.

Should you buy this? Only with a big caveat. If you need a dependable, powerful Mac for software development, writing, or light creative work, and you always use it plugged into a nice external monitor, this could be a smart budget buy. But if you need to use the laptop's own screen for anything important, run away. That 720p display is a deal-breaker for most people. For anyone else, the poor graphics and mediocre RAM score make it hard to recommend over other options, even at this price.