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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a high-performance package, suitable for those who want a premium business laptop with a great screen and are ready to pay a bit more. Its OLED display provides vivid colors and high contrast, which is excellent for creative work but has less storage and fewer color gamut options compared to the MacBook Air. The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is priced lower, provides exceptional build quality and battery life that's perfect for general use and has a fanless design that ensures silent operation. It also scores high on portability due to its lightweight and thin design. However, for intensive 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering tasks, its performance might not match the Zenbook's capabilities due to its less powerful hardware. Both laptops offer good general-use performance, backlit keyboards, and USB-C charging, with no option for expandable storage or RAM. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook S 13
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.6
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 boasts superior performance for general use with its high RAM, top-end processor, and an OLED screen, making it very responsive and visually stunning, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the MacBook Air. In contrast, the MacBook Air excels in portability and longer battery life, with a quality IPS display and efficient Apple M1 processor, although it offers less RAM and storage, which might limit performance for more demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 stands out for engineering and design due to its powerful Intel i7 processor, vast 32GB of RAM, and advanced Iris Xe graphics, combined with a top-quality OLED screen that brings extremely high contrast and color accuracy. In comparison, the MacBook Air (2020) is well-suited for lighter tasks with its efficient Apple M1 chip and 8GB of RAM; it's highly portable, has a silent operation, high-quality keyboard and speakers, and also boasts a good IPS display, making it a versatile choice for on-the-go productivity.
Content Creation
8.5
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.3
7.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
8.1
7.5
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Zenbook S 13's screen stands out in general use and engineering due to its high-resolution display and superior brightness, enhancing clarity and detail, while its wide color gamut ensures precise color reproduction for design tasks. However, the lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for 3D and gaming, where fluid motion is key. The MacBook Air's screen quality is balanced for general and engineering needs with good resolution and decent color accuracy, but it is also not ideal for 3D applications due to its moderate refresh rate.
Battery
11.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Best in Class
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020) costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is equipped with an Intel Iris Xe GPU which performs better in gaming and 3D applications than the Apple MacBook Air's M1 GPU, and while both have similar screen refresh rates, the Zenbook's OLED display usually offers better quality over the MacBook Air's IPS screen. Additionally, compatibility issues might restrict gaming choices on the MacBook Air as many popular games do not run on macOS, whereas the ASUS Zenbook running Windows has broader gaming compatibility.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | Apple MacBook Air (2020) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | November 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.2 lbs | 2.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.66" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.52" | 8.36" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Apple M1 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 49.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 365 nits | 395 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 3 | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook S 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | May 2023
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 is the slimmest OLED ultrabook worldwide struggles with annoying fans. The new Zenbook S 13 leaves us with mixed feelings, particularly since last year's model was so good. Asus has completely reworked the device, making the laptop noticeably slimmer. The result also looks good and the case makes a great impression, particularly also in terms of the stability. The new plasma ceramic surface feels great, and there are no problems with fingerprints. In addition, it now includes some of the known connections such as an HDMI port and a regular USB-A connection, which is a good achievement in such a slim device."
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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