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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is more portable and offers better battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go use and general computing tasks. It has a premium OLED screen and a lightweight design. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, while less portable due to its larger size and weight, is equipped with a more powerful processor and a dedicated graphics card, making it ideal for gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering software. Both laptops have high-quality screens and keyboards, though the Zephyrus M16 has an edge in rendering fast motion and 3D content, as well as a backlit RGB keyboard, adding appeal for gamers and creative professionals. Choose the Zenbook S 13 for portability and everyday use or the Zephyrus M16 for high-performance tasks and gaming. 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 software development
- Best in class portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.9
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
627.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 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.
Gaming and AI
6.5
8.5
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, is suitable for lighter gaming and 3D tasks, but the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 excels with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, which is significantly more powerful for these purposes.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both very good for engineering and design, though the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is somewhat better.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, with its high-performing GPU and ample RAM, excels in engineering and design tasks, complemented by a superior screen quality that professionals appreciate. In comparison, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 provides a balance with a good CPU and adequate RAM for less demanding tasks, while offering greater portability and a quieter operation, making it a versatile choice for on-the-go productivity.
Software Development
8.3
7.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 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
9.0
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
627.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 for software development, and content creation, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
When selecting between the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, consider that both have high-resolution displays with strong brightness, making them excellent for general use and detailed work in engineering and design due to accurate color reproduction. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both may fall short as their screens likely have lower refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth motion and responsiveness. Therefore, while either laptop can serve well in productivity and professional visual tasks, those focused on gaming might prefer a laptop with a higher refresh rate display.
Battery
11.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 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
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has very good 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
$1,842
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 costs $1,842.
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Key similarities
Content Creation
8.5
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,842 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | 14'' x 9.7'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.2 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.66" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.52" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 365 nits | 627 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.5/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
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."
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is not yet as optimised as its predecessor. Compared to the previous gen, performance and efficiency have improved significantly. What's more, the wonderful, Mini-LED Nebula display is a contender for the main highlight and almost manages to put the CPU and GPU in the shade. We already found its predecessor to be a well-rounded and well-optimised gaming machine. Generally, but not unequivocally, that also applies to the new Asus M16. Similar to most of the current, new laptops, we are dealing with a double generational leap in terms of the CPU and GPU. However, this change doesn't always run smoothly."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
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.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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