When choosing between the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the ASUS ROG Flow X16, consider your specific needs. The MacBook Air offers a longer battery life, a lighter build for better portability, and is slightly less expensive, making it ideal for general use and travel. It also provides silent, fanless operation and a high-quality display. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 includes a touch screen, a more powerful main processor and graphics card suited for 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive gaming. It also has more storage and memory but is slightly heavier and more expensive. If performance in engineering, machine learning, or gaming is your priority, go for the ASUS, but if you prioritize battery life, portability, and a lower price, the MacBook Air might be the better choice. 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 15 (2023)
Very good for software development
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Flow X16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
7.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.2/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16's Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU delivers a significant advantage for gaming and 3D applications over the Apple MacBook Air 15 which is equipped with an integrated Apple M2 GPU. Additionally, the ASUS offers a much higher screen refresh rate, crucial for a smooth gaming experience, while the MacBook's screen is limited to a lower refresh rate and MacOS doesn't support many popular games, further enhancing the ASUS's suitability for gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
8.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 stands out for engineering and design use due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU, double the RAM, and a higher-end Nvidia GPU compared to the Apple MacBook Air 15's Apple M2 processor and integrated graphics, which, while efficient, are less suited for the most demanding tasks. Additionally, the ASUS offers a higher-capacity battery and superior screen quality with a higher contrast ratio, factors that are significant for detailed engineering and design work, albeit at the expense of greater weight and reduced portability when compared to the MacBook Air.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
502.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Flow X16 for software development, while the ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a better screen for general use, and gaming and AI.
If you prioritize a crisp, clear display for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, the MacBook Air's high resolution and brightness make it a strong choice, with screen qualities that also benefit engineering and design through wide color gamuts ensuring accurate color reproduction. However, for serious 3D work and gaming, the MacBook Air falls short due to its lower refresh rate, which is critical for smooth motion and responsiveness in these applications. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Flow is equipped with a display that, while still offering good resolution and brightness for general use and suitable color accuracy for engineering and design, also doesn't quite meet the higher refresh rate demands for optimal 3D and gaming experiences.
Battery
15.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has 5.5 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
Very Good
Good
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Flow X16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Flow X16 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow X16 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is a solid choice for general use due to its high-quality screen, lightweight design for portability, and lengthy battery life paired with efficient heat management from its fanless operation. Conversely, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers a superior CPU and more RAM, which is great for performance but comes with reduced battery life and increased weight, which may affect its portability.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very 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
8.1/10
7.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Flow X16 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.
Cost
$1,299
$1,300
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the ASUS ROG Flow X16 costs $1,300.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the ASUS ROG Flow X16 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
"Above all else, the Asus ROG Flow X16 is one thing - versatile! It is a thin, mobile work device, it's a 2-in-1, tablet, a powerful workstation and even a gaming PC. But something even more surprising: It does all of these things really well without making any big blunders. It's anything but a lazy compromise. Because, despite its compact dimensions and 2-in-1 functionality, the hardware isn't throttled and boasts, at least in turbo mode, above-average performance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the ASUS ROG Flow X16
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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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
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