Notebookcheck’s November 6, 2026 comparison favors the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 9 for CUDA-dependent work and CAD, while its Apple MacBook Pro 16 assessment points to stronger overall performance and local AI. The recommendation depends on your workload: both laptops can suit programming, photography, and video editing. Notebookcheck based its comparison on separate product reviews, not a new controlled head-to-head test.
| Decision factor | Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 9 | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2026) M5 Pro |
| Workload fit | NVIDIA graphics and CUDA-dependent work, including CAD | Notebookcheck’s comparison favors it for overall performance and local AI |
| Display | Options include WUXGA IPS, 3.2K Tandem OLED, and WQUXGA IPS | The reviewed configuration has a 16.2-inch Mini-LED display at 3456 × 2234 and 120 Hz |
| Memory and storage | The reviewed unit has 64 GB LPCAMM2 memory and a 1 TB SSD; the review describes two M.2 2280 slots and model limits of 96 GB memory and 8 TB total storage | The review describes a 24 GB memory/1 TB SSD base configuration and a 64 GB/4 TB review unit |
| Wi-Fi battery result | 22.6 hours in Wi-Fi v1.3 on a WUXGA IPS test unit at 150 cd/m² | 18.5 hours in the Wi-Fi v1.3 results table; the configurations were not established as a fully matched test |
Which workloads favor each laptop?
For a workflow that specifically needs NVIDIA CUDA or CAD, Notebookcheck’s comparison points to the ThinkPad P1 Gen 9. Its reviewed configuration paired an Intel Core Ultra 7 366H with an 8 GB NVIDIA RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell laptop GPU rated at 75 W TDP. That is the relevant distinction if your software depends on NVIDIA’s GPU ecosystem.
Notebookcheck’s comparison favors the MacBook Pro 16 for local AI and overall performance. The reviewed M5 Pro configuration has an 18-core CPU and a 20-core GPU. For programming, photography, and video editing, the comparison considers both laptops suitable; the choice turns on the specific applications and workflow you use.
What the P1 battery result tells you
Notebookcheck measured 22.6 hours in its Wi-Fi v1.3 browsing test on the ThinkPad P1 Gen 9 21UE000MGE, with display brightness set to 150 cd/m². The tested machine had a 16-inch, 1920 × 1200 WUXGA IPS screen. Notebookcheck says that lower-resolution display helped the result, so the figure does not carry over automatically to the P1’s 3.2K OLED or WQUXGA options.
The same review’s results table lists 18.5 hours for the MacBook Pro 16 M5 Pro under the Wi-Fi v1.3 test label. The two figures are useful reference points, but the P1’s specific screen and the lack of a fully matched configuration test matter when interpreting them.
Memory, displays, and maintenance
The P1 offers a practical advantage if you want to expand memory or storage later. Notebookcheck describes modular LPCAMM2 memory and two M.2 2280 SSD slots, with stated limits of up to 96 GB of memory and 8 TB of total SSD storage. The reviewed P1 configuration had 64 GB of memory and a 1 TB SSD. Its keyboard is not user-replaceable, so the expansion options do not make every part serviceable.
Notebookcheck’s MacBook Pro 16 M5 Pro review describes 24 GB of memory and a 1 TB SSD in the base configuration. Its review unit had 64 GB of onboard memory and a 4 TB SSD. The review says most components are soldered and maintenance is limited to the fans and battery.
Screen choice also affects what you are buying. The P1 is described with three options: WUXGA IPS at 1920 × 1200, 3.2K Tandem OLED at 3200 × 2000 with a 40–120 Hz variable refresh rate, or WQUXGA IPS at 3840 × 2400. The MacBook review unit used a 16.2-inch, 3456 × 2234 Mini-LED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate.
U.S. review prices and the purchase decision
Notebookcheck’s U.S. review pages reported a starting price of about $3,200 for the ThinkPad P1 Gen 9 and about $5,100 for its tested configuration. For the MacBook Pro 16 M5 Pro, the review listed $2,699 for the base configuration with 24 GB of memory and a 1 TB SSD, and $4,449 for its 64 GB/4 TB review unit with a nano-texture display. These are review-page price observations for different configurations, not current offers or a like-for-like price comparison.
Start with the software you need to run. Choose the P1 when its NVIDIA/CUDA path or later memory and storage expansion is decisive; favor the MacBook when local AI or Notebookcheck’s overall-performance assessment better fits your work.
Under stress testing, Notebookcheck recorded a maximum upper-surface temperature of 51 °C and maximum fan noise of 47.9 dB(A) on its P1 test unit. For either laptop, check that the exact applications you rely on support your chosen operating system and graphics workflow before buying.
