Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
The Verdict
The Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the cheaper of the two at $1,729 versus $2,499, a difference of about $770. The Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro stands out for largest macbook display at 16.2 inches, while Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is praised for exceptionally light at 1.09 kg with durable carbon fiber chassis. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro if…
- →Largest MacBook display at 16.2 inches
- →M5 Pro or M5 Max configurations
- →100 Wh battery with 24-hour life
Buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 if…
- →Exceptionally light at 1.09 kg with durable carbon fiber chassis
- →Best-in-class ThinkPad keyboard with excellent travel
- →MIL-STD-810H tested for durability
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro
Pros
- Largest MacBook display at 16.2 inches
- M5 Pro or M5 Max configurations
- 100 Wh battery with 24-hour life
- Thunderbolt 5
- Up to 96GB RAM with M5 Max
Cons
- 2.14 kg is heavy
- $2499 starting price
- Non-upgradable components
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
Pros
- Exceptionally light at 1.09 kg with durable carbon fiber chassis
- Best-in-class ThinkPad keyboard with excellent travel
- MIL-STD-810H tested for durability
- Strong business security with vPro and discrete TPM
Cons
- Premium price compared to similarly specced ultrabooks
- Base 1920x1200 IPS display is uninspiring vs OLED rivals
- Limited GPU performance for creative workloads
- Webcam quality still trails Surface and MacBook competitors
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS 17 | Windows 11 Pro |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 2.14 kg | 1.09 kg |
| Material | Recycled aluminum | Carbon fiber + magnesium |
| Dimensions | 17.7 x 24.8 x 1.68 cm | 312.8 x 215.0 x 14.96 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | 1 |
| SD card | ||
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 3 | 2 |
| USB-A ports | — | 2 |
| USB-C ports | — | 2 |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 24 hours | Up to 13 hours |
| Capacity | 100 Wh | 57 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 16.2 inches | 14 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina XDR, nano-texture option | IPS, anti-glare |
| Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 1920 x 1200 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz ProMotion | — |
| Brightness (nits) | 1600 | 400 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 1 TB / 2 TB / 4 TB / 8 TB | 512 GB |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 24 GB / 48 GB / 96 GB | 16 GB LPDDR5X |
| Cores | 18 cores (6 super + 12 performance) | 16 cores |
| Chipset | Apple M5 Pro (18-core CPU, 20-core GPU) | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H |
Want to compare a third product?
Add another product for a 3-way comparison.
Related Comparisons
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs MSI GE76 Raider
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs HP OMEN 17
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs Dell XPS 13 (2023)
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs Apple MacBook Pro 14" M2 Pro
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs MSI Stealth 16 Studio
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
Explore more in laptops, see all Apple products or all Lenovo products. View full details for the Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro or the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12.