A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
When choosing between the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the ASUS Zenbook 13, consider that the MacBook Air has better build quality, higher screen resolution, and a fanless design for silent operation, making it suitable for general use and ensuring a longer battery life, but its performance is less optimal for 3D and engineering tasks compared to the Zenbook. On the other hand, the Zenbook offers more storage, has an OLED screen with better colors, and is slightly lighter, enhancing portability and making it better for tasks requiring accurate color representation, yet it has a lower battery life. The MacBook Air costs a bit less, favors users within the Apple ecosystem and who prefer macOS, while the Zenbook runs Windows and may appeal to those accustomed to that platform or who need additional storage out-of-the-box. 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 Zenbook 13
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.5
7.8
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 13 for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air, with its high-resolution and bright Retina display, presents crisp and vibrant visuals ideal for browsing, media consumption, and productivity tasks, but it lacks the high refresh rate favored in 3D applications. The ASUS Zenbook 13 offers a similar high-resolution and bright display, complemented by extensive color coverage, which makes it excellent for engineering and design work where color accuracy is crucial. However, both struggle with 3D scenarios as their screens do not prioritize the high refresh rates needed for smooth rendering in graphics-intensive tasks like gaming or 3D modeling.
Battery
15.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 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.
Build Quality
10.0
7.4
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$890
$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 Zenbook 13 costs $890.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its Apple M1 CPU, high-resolution IPS screen, and up to 15 hours of battery life is praised for its performance and endurance, suited for various general tasks yet still portable due to its light weight, whereas the ASUS Zenbook 13, offers an OLED display, ample storage, and a very efficient AMD Ryzen CPU, ensuring smooth operation and vibrant visuals for everyday use, as well as slightly better portability given its marginally lighter weight. Both have a solid amount of RAM for multitasking, but the MacBook Air benefits from higher screen brightness and broader color coverage, enhancing visual tasks, while the Zenbook stands out with its larger battery capacity and a greater number of ports, which may be crucial for connectivity.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.2
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020), with its Apple M1 integrated GPU, provides fair 3D performance but may not support many popular games that run on macOS. Meanwhile, the ASUS Zenbook 13 also offers fair gaming and 3D performance with its Ryzen Integrated Vega 8 GPU, but like the MacBook, it has a standard screen refresh rate; however, the Windows operating system broadens its compatibility with games.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.6
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Zenbook 13 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.
Software Development
7.7
7.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook 13 to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the ASUS Zenbook 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | ASUS Zenbook 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $890 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | February 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 12'' x 8'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 2.55 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 7.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 67 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 378 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.4/10 | |
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 | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
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 Zenbook 13
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | May 2021
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the ASUS Zenbook 13
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Apple MacBook Air (2020) vs. LG Ultra 16
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Air (2020) vs. ASUS TUF Gaming F17
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Air (2020) vs. Dell G15 5520
VS
Compare ASUS Zenbook 13 vs. Acer Nitro 5 15
VS
Compare ASUS Zenbook 13 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i
VS
Compare ASUS Zenbook 13 vs. Apple MacBook Air (2020)
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
123,795
Recommendations made
26,823
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
