The Apple MacBook Air (2022) offers excellent portability, a high-quality keyboard, and silent operation due to its fanless design, making it suitable for general use and good for tasks that don't require intensive graphics. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 16X has a more powerful processor and graphics card, making it better suited for more demanding engineering tasks, 3D rendering, machine learning, and it can handle gaming. It also includes a larger screen, more storage, and RAM but has a shorter battery life and is heavier, impacting its portability. Your choice should depend on whether you prioritize mobility and lower weight or higher performance and larger screen size for more intensive tasks. 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 Vivobook 16X
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
7.7/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16X is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair.
The MacBook Air with its M2 integrated GPU and MacOS can handle 3D tasks adequately but might not support many popular games. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 16X with its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and higher screen refresh rate is designed for better performance in gaming and more intensive 3D applications, and runs on Windows which is compatible with a wider range of games.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Vivobook 16X is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The ASUS Vivobook 16X excels in engineering and design with its higher RAM, advanced CPU, and dedicated high-performance GPU that are crucial for demanding tasks, whilst its larger screen provides a broader workspace. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Air (2022) offers excellent portability, a higher screen resolution, and a silent operation, making it suitable for on-the-go work with less intensive requirements.
Software Development
8.0/10
7.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X 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
7.6/10
7.3/10
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 16X for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air boasts a high-resolution, bright display with a wide color gamut, making it suitable for engineering and design tasks that require color accuracy, but its standard refresh rate hampers 3D applications which benefit from higher refresh rates for smoother visuals. The ASUS Vivobook 16X offers a decent resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and ample color range for most design work, but like the MacBook Air, it may not satisfy gamers or professionals in 3D fields due to a standard refresh rate failing to provide the most fluid experience. Both laptops are more aligned with general productivity and professional design rather than gaming or high-end 3D applications where higher refresh rates are crucial for optimal performance.
Battery
15.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 16X has 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
Excellent
Good
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$839
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $839 and the ASUS Vivobook 16X costs $1,000.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and ASUS Vivobook 16X are both good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and ASUS Vivobook 16X 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.
Give feedback
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the ASUS Vivobook 16X compare to other laptops
"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."
"I think the ASUS Vivobook 16X is fantastic. Great performance, decent battery life, good keyboard and trackpad, and a massive screen – just that the screen quality itself is kinda subpar. If you’re okay with the screen, then I think this is an okay laptop. However, I’d like to see a price drop."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the ASUS Vivobook 16X
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.
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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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.
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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.
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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.