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Updated January 10, 2024·
If your primary concern is portability and price, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is lighter and generally less expensive, with more storage space and a high-resolution OLED screen that offers deep blacks and vibrant colors. However, the MacBook Pro 14 (2023) provides a slightly larger Mini LED display that's brighter and offers higher contrast, along with longer battery life and better performance for engineering and 3D/machine learning tasks due to a more powerful processor and GPU setup. The MacBook Pro also has superior build quality, speakers, and webcam, but it's heavier and typically more expensive. Therefore, choose the ASUS for a more budget-friendly, portable option with ample storage, or the MacBook Pro for the best performance, display, and build quality at a higher cost. 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 (2023)
- Good for gaming and AI
- 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
489.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook S 13 for general use, AI, and engineering and design.
If you prioritize a vibrant and accurate display for tasks like photo editing or graphic design, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 with its high-resolution screen and wide color gamut excels, providing rich and precise colors. For everyday tasks like browsing or watching videos, both laptops offer superb screen clarity and brightness, but the MacBook's screen detail and quality give it an edge. However, for gaming or 3D modeling, where the screen's ability to refresh quickly matters most, neither of these laptops is ideal due to their lower refresh rates compared to specialized gaming laptops.
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 (2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) 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
$1,700
$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 (2023) costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.6
8.5
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
489.0 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 (2023) are both very good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a lightweight and slim form factor with a high-resolution OLED screen, substantial RAM, and solid state storage, which are beneficial for multitasking and viewing high-quality content, making it very good for general use. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) combines the efficiency of the M2 Pro processor with an exceptional Mini LED display and robust battery life, along with premium build, keyboard, and speakers, also making it a compelling option for general use. Both laptops bring portability, but the MacBook's higher screen brightness and battery life stand out for longer use away from power sources, whereas the ASUS provides more storage and RAM, which could be advantageous for heavy applications.
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.2/10
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
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) to be good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is suitable for gaming as it houses an Intel Iris Xe GPU, but has a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, whereas the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) benefits from a higher 120Hz refresh rate for smoother visuals and an M2 Pro GPU suited for 3D tasks, but many popular games may not run on its MacOS operating system.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is equipped with a high-performance Intel i7 processor and a substantial amount of RAM which is essential for engineering software, plus its OLED screen offers high color accuracy for design work. On the other hand, the MacBook Pro 14 boasts an Apple M2 Pro chip with integrated graphics that are powerful for engineering calculations and design rendering, and its mini-LED display provides impressive brightness and color fidelity, coupled with MacOS which is favored by many professionals. Both are lightweight with quality keyboards and quiet operation, but the MacBook has a slight edge in overall battery life and speaker quality.
Content Creation
8.5
8.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and ASUS Zenbook S 13 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
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and ASUS Zenbook S 13 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 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
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 M2 Pro (10C) | |
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 | 489 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 (2023)
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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 (2023)
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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