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Updated January 10, 2024·
If performance during tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering software is your priority, and you prefer a laptop better suited for color-intensive work, then the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 could be the better choice, although it has lower battery life and a slightly heavier build compared to the Apple MacBook Air (2020). However, if you desire a laptop with a higher battery life, fan-less silent operation, and a lighter weight for ease of portability, along with a very good build quality, the MacBook Air might suit you better, though its screen refresh rate is lower and not as color accurate as the Vivobook Pro's OLED display. 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 Apple MacBook Air (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.6
7.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
385.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is favored for general use due to its balance of power and efficiency with the Apple M1 chip, excellent battery life, and lightweight design, making it highly portable and silent in operation, while the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14, despite its high-resolution OLED screen, falls short because of its heavier weight, lesser battery life, and possibly louder operating noise, which are less conducive to general usage on the go.
Software Development
7.7
7.2
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is somewhat better.
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
7.5
8.4
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
385.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 for software development, and content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air’s display, with its high resolution and brightness, ensures crisp and clear visuals for everyday tasks and design work, but its standard refresh rate limits the smoothness required for 3D applications. The ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 offers a display with wide color gamuts, beneficial for precise color work in engineering and design, alongside great resolution and brightness for daily activities. However, both laptops have screens with refresh rates that aren't high enough for optimal 3D rendering and gaming, where higher refresh rates are key for fluid motion.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 has 8 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
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.4
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$548
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 costs $548.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.1
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its M1 chip and integrated GPU is fair for 3D tasks but is limited by MacOS compatibility with many popular games and a lower screen refresh rate of 60Hz. In comparison, the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 offers better suitability for gaming with its higher 90Hz refresh rate and Windows operating system, which supports more games, alongside its decent Intel Iris Xe graphics, but its CPU and screen quality are just adequate for 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.0
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.0/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 are both good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.8
7.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 are both 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 Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $548 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 12.5'' x 9'' x 0.76'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 3.09 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 12.5" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 9" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | Intel i5-11300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 63 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 90Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 385 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
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."
ASUS Vivobook Pro 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marc Herter | July 2022
"The Asus Vivobook Pro 14 OLED is a Pantone Validated laptop that packs a lot of processing power. The Asus VivoBook Pro 14 OLED's highlight is its outstanding display: Featuring a 3K resolution in the 16:10 format and nearly a 100% coverage of the Display P3 color space, the display hardly leaves anything to be desired. The Asus laptop also shows impeccable rates in terms of general system performance. Combined with long battery life, low noise emissions, and relatively good speakers, the laptop can be recommended to users who can accept compromises in terms of connectivity."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14
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.
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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