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Updated January 10, 2024·
When comparing the ASUS Zenbook S 13 with the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020), the following key differences are observed: If you require high storage capacity and increased multitasking capabilities, the ASUS provides significantly more storage space and more RAM. The ASUS Zenbook also has an OLED screen, which usually offers better contrast and color depth compared to the IPS screen on the MacBook Pro. The Apple MacBook Pro, on the other hand, offers a longer battery life, which can be very crucial for those needing to work on the go without frequent charging. The MacBook Pro's build quality and heat management are rated higher, while the ASUS has a slight edge in performance for general use and engineering software due to its better specs. The MacBook Pro would generally be quieter as it has a fanless design. In terms of portability, both laptops are fairly portable, but the ASUS is lighter, which might make it more comfortable to carry around. For users invested in macOS and its ecosystem or who require long battery life, the MacBook Pro would be a more suitable choice, while those prioritizing higher performance for applications like engineering tasks might lean towards the ASUS Zenbook. 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 Pro 13 (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.7
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
20.0 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 Pro 13 (2020) is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
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 Pro 13 (2020) is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers more RAM and a higher resolution OLED screen, making it more suitable for tasks requiring multiple applications and precise colors, which is crucial for engineering and design work. In comparison, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has less RAM and an IPS screen with slightly lower resolution, it excels in portability and has longer battery life, making it a good alternative for those prioritizing mobility and less intensive work.
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 Pro 13 (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
7.8
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 Pro 13 (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
7.6
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 both offer high-resolution displays with excellent brightness and color accuracy, providing a crisp and vivid user experience for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design, both laptops' displays cover a wide color gamut, ensuring that professionals and creatives get true-to-life colors for tasks such as photo editing and CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where the refresh rate is crucial for smooth motion, both laptops fall short due to their standard refresh rates, which is less ideal for fast-paced visual content.
Battery
11.0 Hours
20.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 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
3.0 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (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
$1,249
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) costs $1,249.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.3
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 Pro 13 (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,249 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.2 lbs | 3 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 | 20 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 58.2 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 | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.5/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
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 Pro 13 (2020)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2022
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (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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