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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a more lightweight and slim design for portability and it comes at a midrange price, generally less expensive than the MacBook Pro. It's well-suited for general use with good battery life. The OLED screen delivers vibrant colors, ideal for tasks that require high color accuracy. However, its performance may not match the MacBook Pro's, especially for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering applications where the MacBook's M1 Pro chip excels. The MacBook Pro also has better build quality, a higher quality keyboard, and speakers. If your priority is performance for intensive tasks and superior screen quality, and you are willing to pay more and accept a little less portability, the MacBook Pro 14 might be the better option. 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
- Best in class portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.1
9.2
13.3in
SIZE
14.2in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
479.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook S 13 for general use, AI, and engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a vivid display suitable for documents and videos, but its refresh rate might not be high enough for smooth rendering in games or 3D applications. Apple's MacBook Pro 14, with its high-resolution and bright screen, excels in showing sharp details and maintaining color accuracy for professional tasks in engineering and design. However, like the Zenbook, the MacBook's focus on resolution and color accuracy over a high refresh rate means it's not optimized for the high frame rates required by gamers and 3D artists.
Battery
11.0 Hours
13.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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
14.2in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) 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
$1,905
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) costs $1,905.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.6
8.4
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
479.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
13.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers strong general use capabilities, with a high-resolution OLED screen, sizable RAM, and a capable CPU, all encased in a lightweight and portable design, balanced with reasonable battery life. Meanwhile, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 excels with its Mini LED screen displaying excellent color accuracy, a powerful M1 Pro CPU for seamless operation, ample RAM, and a robust battery, albeit at a higher weight which slightly reduces portability. Both laptops provide high-quality keyboards and speakers, maintaining comfortable usability and multimedia experience, with respective operating systems optimized for their hardware.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with its Intel Iris Xe graphics chip, is suited to gaming and 3D tasks under Windows, where a vast library of games is available. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 has the capable Apple M1 Pro GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, but its gaming potential is limited by macOS's compatibility with fewer popular games.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a high-resolution OLED screen and ample RAM along with a CPU and GPU well-suited for engineering and design tasks, providing vibrant screen quality and multitasking capabilities in a light and portable fashion. In comparison, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) integrates an even more potent CPU and GPU with the M1 Pro chip, unmatched Mini LED screen quality, and superior build, alongside a best-in-class keyboard and speakers, delivering an exceptional experience for similar purposes albeit at a higher weight and with a premium build.
Content Creation
8.5
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for content creation.
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
8.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for software development.
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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,905 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.2 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.66" | 12.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.52" | 8.71" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Apple M1 Pro (8C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 13.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 69.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 14.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 3024 x 1964 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 365 nits | 479 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.5/10 | 8.6/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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 14 (2021)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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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