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MacBook Air (2022)
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ROG Zephyrus M16
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What we think

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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

If you prioritize performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 with its high-powered Intel processor and Nvidia graphics card would be more suitable. However, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, which may matter if you're often on the move. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air is lighter, has a longer battery life, and offers a fanless design for silent operation, making it ideal for general use and highly portable but less suitable for intensive engineering or gaming applications. The MacBook Air is also typically less expensive than the M16. The choice largely depends on the balance you prefer between portability, battery life, and high-end performance. 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)
  • Very good for software development
  • Best in class overall build quality
  • Excellent portability
  • Excellent battery life
  • Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
  • Very good for engineering and design
  • Very good for gaming and AI
  • Very good for content creation
  • Excellent overall display quality

Key differences

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Gaming and AI

6.4
MacBook Air (2022)
ROG Zephyrus M16
8.5
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
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
6.2/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair.

Engineering and Design

7.5
MacBook Air (2022)
ROG Zephyrus M16
8.8
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.

Screen Quality

7.6
MacBook Air (2022)
ROG Zephyrus M16
9.0
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
627.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 for software development, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.

Battery

15.0 Hours
MacBook Air (2022)
ROG Zephyrus M16
4.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 hours of battery life.

Portability

Excellent
MacBook Air (2022)
ROG Zephyrus M16
Good
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

10.0
MacBook Air (2022)
ROG Zephyrus M16
8.5
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has very good build quality.

Cost

$839
MacBook Air (2022)
ROG Zephyrus M16
$1,842
Product image
Product image

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $839 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 costs $1,842.
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Key similarities

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General Use

7.9
MacBook Air (2022)
ROG Zephyrus M16
7.9
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
627.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both good for general use.

Content Creation

7.9
MacBook Air (2022)
ROG Zephyrus M16
8.2
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
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 Zephyrus M16 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.

Software Development

8.0
MacBook Air (2022)
ROG Zephyrus M16
7.7
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is good.

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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Apple MacBook Air (2022)ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
Apple MacBook Air (2022)ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16

GENERAL

Price
$839
$1,842
Release Date
July 1, 2022March 1, 2023
Overall Dimensions
12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44''14'' x 9.7'' x 0.83''
Weight
2.7 lbs4.63 lbs
Width
11.97"13.98"
Depth
8.46"9.69"

INTERNAL

Processor
Apple M2Intel i9-13900H
RAM
8 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
02
Storage
256 GB1024 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
15 Hours4.5 Hours
Battery Capacity
52.6 Wh90 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
13.6"16"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
2560 x 16642560 x 1600
Refresh Rate
60Hz240Hz
Display Brightness
486 nits627 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
10/108.5/10
Portability Score
9.4/107.3/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoYes
Premium Business Laptop
YesNo
Fan Noise Score
10/106.3/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
10/106.5/10
Speaker Quality Score
10/109.5/10
Webcam
1080p1080p
Fingerprint Reader
YesNo
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
NoNo

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
02
USB-C ports
22
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
13
Thunderbolt Version
34

Shopping

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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 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 Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16

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.

By the numbers

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48,640
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Recommendations made
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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.

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