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Updated February 26, 2024·
When choosing between the Apple MacBook Air and the ASUS ROG Strix G16, consider that the MacBook Air offers portability, longer battery life, and is suitable for general use and light productivity tasks, while the ASUS, being a gaming laptop, offers superior performance for activities like gaming, 3D work, and machine learning at the cost of a higher price, less portability, and typically shorter battery life. If your priority is everyday computing on the go, you'll save money and benefit from the MacBook Air's lightweight design. If performance for intensive tasks is crucial, the ASUS may be worth the extra investment. 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 (2022)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4
8.4
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair.
The MacBook Air, while versatile and user-friendly, has limited graphics capabilities and lower screen refresh rates not optimal for high-end gaming and 3D rendering, and additionally, its compatibility with popular games is restricted. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Strix G16, with its superior GPU and high refresh rate display, offers a better experience for gaming and 3D applications, backed by a more powerful CPU and quality screen that those specific tasks demand.
Engineering and Design
7.5
8.8
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air, with its efficient CPU and high-quality screen, offers a balance between performance and portability, making it suitable for engineering and design tasks that don't require intense graphical processing. The ASUS ROG Strix G16, on the other hand, with its superior GPU and ample RAM, excels in demanding engineering software and graphical work, but it trades off some portability due to its larger size and weight.
Screen Quality
7.6
8.8
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
459.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Air's screen delivers vivid colors and crisp images due to its high resolution and brightness, along with a panel type that's well-suited for a variety of everyday tasks, making it great for general use. It also covers a wide range of color gamuts, which is essential for professionals in engineering and design seeking accurate color representation. However, for 3D applications, where smooth motion is key, the MacBook Air falls short because it lacks a high refresh rate that's crucial for those types of tasks.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix G16 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
Excellent
Fair
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.5 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.8
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$839
$1,599
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $839 and the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) costs $1,599.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.1
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
459.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air, with its efficient CPU and long battery life, offers a lightweight option with a high-quality screen, making it ideal for everyday tasks and easy to carry around. The ASUS ROG Strix G16, while less portable due to its size and weight, provides superior performance with a better CPU and more RAM, and an enhanced screen for intensive tasks, but may have a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.9
8.4
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
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
8.0
8.0
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) 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 Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2022) | ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$839 | $1,599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | January 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 13.9'' x 10.4'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 5.51 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 13.94" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 10.39" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 486 nits | 459 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
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 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air (2022)
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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 ROG Strix G16 (2024)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marc Herter | March 2023
"With the mobile Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080, the Asus ROG Stix G16 hits the sweet spot between performance and cooling. The G16 also does not have to shy away from direct comparison with its supposedly stronger family member, the ROG Strix Scar 18 with its RTX 4090, as most benchmarks of the two laptops are very close to each other. Moreover, the G16 should be significantly cheaper. Depending on the supplier, the price difference here could be almost US$ 2,000. In the 2023 model series, Asus has significantly leveled out the differences between the two high-end lines."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024)
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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