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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air is more portable and offers great build quality with a higher-resolution IPS screen, and it excels in general use with its efficient performance and fanless design—which means silent operation. On the other hand, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15, though less portable and slightly heavier, comes with a larger OLED touchscreen, more RAM, double the storage, and dedicated graphics making it better for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and light gaming. Both are powerful, but if extensive portability and silent operation are vital for you, go for the MacBook Air; otherwise, for higher performance in specialized tasks, consider the Zenbook Pro 15. 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
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15
- The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2022).
Key differences
Software Development
8.0
7.5
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 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
7.6
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
346.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 for software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air boasts a high-resolution screen, which renders crisp, detailed images vital for general use and engineering design tasks, and its color accuracy covers a broad spectrum, ensuring rich and precise hues for professional design work. However, its lower refresh rate limits the smoothness required for 3D applications where rapid on-screen motion is common. The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 also offers a vibrant, high-resolution display that is great for everyday tasks and accurately reproducing colors for engineering and design, but like the MacBook Air, it falls short for gaming and 3D uses because its screen doesn't refresh as quickly as specialized gaming laptops, which can impact the fluidity of motion-intensive visuals.
Battery
15.0 Hours
12.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has 12.5 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
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.6
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$899
$1,109
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 and the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 costs $1,109.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.7
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
346.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) excels in portability weighing less and offering longer battery life, which is complemented by a high-quality screen and silent operation, making it ideal for general use on the go. The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 offers a larger, high-resolution touchscreen, more RAM, and a powerful CPU-GPU combination suitable for heavier tasks, albeit at the expense of greater weight and lesser battery life, which can still cater well to general usage patterns.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.7
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.8/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has limitations in GPU performance and screen refresh rate which makes it only fair for 3D applications; additionally, its operating system restricts compatibility with many popular games. On the other hand, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15, while also rated fair in GPU performance for gaming and 3D tasks, offers better screen refresh rates and more game compatibility, but still may not satisfy the demands of high-end gaming or advanced 3D modeling due to CPU and screen quality considerations.
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.5
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is designed with an Apple M2 processor and 8-core GPU, offering solid performance for engineering tasks with a high-resolution screen, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 packs a more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU with an Nvidia RTX GPU, better for demanding graphics tasks but at the expense of portability due to its larger size and weight. Both have high-quality screens, but the MacBook prioritizes a silent, lighter design, and the Zenbook provides more RAM and storage, catering to different preferences in engineering and design workloads.
Content Creation
7.9
7.7
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 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 (2022) and the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2022) | ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$899 | $1,109 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 13.9'' x 9.4'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 13.94" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 9.37" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 12.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 96 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 486 nits | 346 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 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 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
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 Zenbook Pro 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 offers a strong CPU, chassis, and display. One of the most popular 15.6-inch prosumer or multimedia laptops out there is the Dell XPS 15. Thus, comparisons between it and the Asus Zenbook Pro 15 are inevitable. Asus has a couple of tricks up its sleeve that XPS users are still missing out on including 1080p OLED and an AMD Ryzen CPU which help separate the Zenbook Pro 15 from the XPS 15. It also integrates a numpad and a few more port options albeit at the cost of a larger chassis size."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15
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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About the laptop team
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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
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.
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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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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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