Apple MacBook Pro 16" M1 Pro Space Gray 2021 Review

The refurbished 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip is a killer deal for creative pros who want a world-class display and macOS for under $900. Performance is still great for photo and video editing, but the weak GPU means gamers should look elsewhere. At this price, it's one of the best refurbished laptops you can buy for design work.

If you're eyeing a refurbished Apple MacBook Pro M1 Pro, you're probably wondering if a 2021 laptop still cuts it in 2025. And honestly, for a lot of people, it absolutely does. The 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display alone is worth the price of admission, and the M1 Pro chip handles photo editing, coding, and everyday multitasking with zero fuss. At current refurb prices as low as $867, it's one of the best ways to get a premium big-screen MacBook without spending $2,500 on a new M4 model.

We've seen a lot of laptops come through our database, and the M1 Pro MacBook Pro still holds its own in areas that matter most to creatives. The screen hits 1000 nits for HDR content and covers the full DCI-P3 gamut, which means video editors and photographers will love what they see. And the port selection is refreshingly practical: three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI slot, and an SD card reader. No dongle life here.

Of course, this isn't a do-everything machine. The integrated 16-core GPU just isn't built for gaming or heavy 3D work, and at 2.18kg (4.8 pounds), it's a chunky carry. But if those trade-offs don't bother you, this refurbished MacBook Pro is a screaming deal, especially when you snag the Newegg unit with a 1-year warranty.

For day-to-day creative work, the M1 Pro still feels snappy. Our database puts the 10-core CPU in the 69th percentile among all laptops, which means it's well above average but not the absolute top dog anymore. Single-core tasks like launching apps, editing in Lightroom, or compiling code happen without a hiccup. Multithreaded video exports in DaVinci Resolve are smooth, though if you're stacking dozens of 4K streams with heavy effects, you'll start to notice the 16GB RAM ceiling. That amount of memory, landing at the 36th percentile, is fine for most but can choke under serious media workloads.

The real star here is the display. Its 3456x2234 resolution at 1000 nits with perfect color accuracy puts it in the top 3% of all laptop screens we've tested, period. HDR content pops, text is razor-sharp, and you can work comfortably even next to a bright window. The 16-core GPU, on the other hand, is a letdown if you push beyond basic photo edits. It sits near the bottom of our GPU benchmarks for gaming, so don't expect to play Baldur's Gate 3 at anything beyond low settings. This is a media creation machine, not a gaming rig.

Price matters big time with this machine. A-grade refurbished units range from $867 to $1,262 across different sellers, so you need to shop smart. Newegg currently offers the best deal at the low end, with a 1-year warranty and fast shipping included. At $867, you're getting a laptop with a screen that rivals current $2,000+ Windows workstations, backed by Apple's solid build quality. Compare that to a new 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro, which starts around $2,500, and the value proposition becomes crystal clear. If you don't need the absolute latest silicon, this is a budget-friendly entry into Apple's pro ecosystem.

This MacBook faces different rivals depending on what you do. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is a gaming and portability champ. It's lighter, has a dedicated GPU that easily outruns the M1 Pro in games, and still rocks a good screen, but its display doesn't touch Apple's XDR panel for HDR work. The MSI Prestige and Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro are ultraportable alternatives with crisp OLED displays and newer chips, but they skimp on ports and raw sustained performance for pro video workflows. The Lenovo Legion 7i gives you raw CPU and GPU muscle for rendering and gaming in a similarly hefty chassis, though you'll miss macOS if that's your jam. And the HP ZBook Ultra G1a targets workstation buyers with ISV certifications and ECC memory support, but it costs way more and lacks the M1 Pro's efficiency. If battery life, color-accurate editing, and that seamless Apple ecosystem matter to you, this refurb M1 Pro holds its own against all of them.

Skip this laptop if you're a gamer, need a Windows machine for specific software, or want something under 3.5 pounds. The MacBook Pro 16 is heavy and the GPU will struggle with any modern games, so an ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 gives you far better frame rates and portability. If you rely on engineering or 3D animation apps that demand a powerful discrete GPU and more than 16GB of RAM, you'd be better served by a Lenovo Legion 7i or a workstation-class laptop like the HP ZBook. And if all you do is browse the web and stream, a MacBook Air is lighter, cheaper, and just as snappy for daily tasks.

Here's the blunt truth: if you're a photographer, video editor, or developer who wants a big, breathtaking screen and macOS without shelling out for the latest model, buy this refurbished MacBook Pro 16. For under $900 with a warranty, it's a steal. Performance is still plenty capable for 1080p timelines, coding, and design work. The keyboard is great, the speakers are some of the best on any laptop, and battery life typically gets you through a full workday.

But if you're a gamer, this machine will frustrate you. The GPU is just too weak for modern titles, and a Windows gaming laptop like the ASUS Zephyrus G14 would serve you far better. Same goes if you need to run virtual machines or heavily threaded scientific simulations; 16GB of RAM and the lack of RAM expansion could become a bottleneck. For everyone else, this is one of the smartest laptop buys you can make right now.