Apple MacBook Pro 16 2.6Ghz 6-Core i7 Space Gray 2019 Review

A refurbished Intel-era MacBook Pro with a gorgeous 16-inch screen and great speakers, but aging performance. For around $605, it's a budget way into the MacBook Pro experience. Worth it if you prioritize build quality over speed.

This is a refurbished 16-inch MacBook Pro from Apple's Intel era. It's a big, solid machine with a fantastic screen and speakers, but it's powered by tech that's now several generations old. You're buying it for the classic MacBook Pro build quality and that gorgeous 16-inch Retina display, not for cutting-edge speed.

The performance story here is all about context. The 9th Gen Intel Core i7 and AMD Radeon Pro 5300M were respectable in their day, but our database shows they land in the 24th and 66th percentiles respectively against modern laptops. It'll handle daily tasks, photo editing, and even some light video work just fine. But if you're trying to edit 8K video or play the latest games, you'll feel the age. The 512GB SSD is also on the smaller side, scoring in the 37th percentile.

At around $605 for a Geek Squad Certified Refurbished model, the value proposition is simple: you're trading raw performance for premium build and a great screen at a budget price. For that money, you're getting a machine that feels and looks far more expensive than it is. Just know you're buying into a platform that Apple has moved on from.

This is a tough one to compare directly. Against a modern Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, you lose massively on performance, battery life, and software support, but you save over a thousand dollars. Compared to a Windows laptop at this price, like an ASUS Vivobook or an older Lenovo IdeaPad, you'll get a worse CPU/GPU combo but a far superior screen, speakers, and unibody aluminum chassis. It's a niche pick.

Skip this if you need performance for professional video editing, 3D work, or gaming. The older Intel/AMD combo just isn't up to those tasks anymore. Also, avoid it if you need the latest macOS features or software compatibility, as you're stuck on an old OS.

Buy this if you're on a tight budget but crave the premium feel of a MacBook Pro, and your work is mostly web browsing, office apps, media consumption, and light creative tasks. It's a fantastic secondary machine or a 'good enough' primary laptop for someone who values the Apple ecosystem and build quality over having the latest specs.