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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is a good fit if you prioritize long battery life and a lightweight, fanless design for quiet general use, with ample performance for everyday tasks running MacOS. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 offers more power for 3D and machine learning tasks, engineering software, and gaming due to its high-end processor and dedicated graphics card. The ROG is also suitable for gaming with a high refresh screen, but you will sacrifice battery life and may find it pricier. The MacBook Air's larger screen lacks touch capability, while the smaller, touch-enabled display on the ASUS could benefit creative tasks or presentations. 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)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Flow Z13
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.5
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
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
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU which offers better performance in these areas than the Apple MacBook Air 15's Apple M2 GPU; moreover, the ASUS also has a higher screen refresh rate which is crucial for a smooth gaming experience, whereas the MacBook's refresh rate is lower and many popular games are not compatible with its operating system.
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.4
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 outperforms the Apple MacBook Air 15 for engineering and design primarily due to its more powerful Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX GPU which are crucial for demanding software, while also offering double the RAM for multitasking and a much higher refresh rate display for smoother visuals. Additionally, the Flow Z13's screen is tactile with higher brightness and resolution, enhancing interactive design work, though it is marginally less portable than the MacBook Air which offers a fanless, silent operation for noise-sensitive environments.
Screen Quality
7.8
8.4
15.3in
SIZE
13.4in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
511.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air 15 for general use, and gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air's screen offers vivid colors and sharp images due to its high resolution and brightness, which make it excellent for general activities and professional design work where color accuracy is crucial. However, it lacks a high refresh rate, making it less suitable for 3D applications where smooth motion is key. The ASUS ROG Flow, though also featuring a high-quality display with accurate colors for general use and design tasks, falls short in gaming and 3D performance due to its lower refresh rate, despite having a good resolution and panel type.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has 6.5 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.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$1,600
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 costs $1,600.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.0
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
511.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow Z13 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers long battery life, silent operation thanks to a fanless design, and a large screen with high-quality resolution, which makes it suitable for general use, especially where portability and quiet environments are valued.
Content Creation
8.0
8.2
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 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
8.0
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
15.3in
SIZE
13.4in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow Z13 to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | ASUS ROG Flow Z13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $1,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 11.9'' x 8.1'' x 0.54'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 2.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 11.89" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 8.11" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.3" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 511 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 4K | |
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 | 1 | |
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 15 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"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."
ASUS ROG Flow Z13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a gaming tablet with powerful Alder Lake i9 CPU. The ROG Flow Z13 impresses with its good cooling. After our review, the impression is predominantly positive. Besides a very fast Alder Lake CPU and stable gaming performance, especially the cooling system is surprisingly effective and quiet. You can use the integrated speakers without any issues while gaming. The 1200p display in the 16:10 format also impresses with good color reproduction and high brightness. Since the battery runtimes aren't particularly long as it is, we wouldn't recommend the optional 4K panel."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the ASUS ROG Flow Z13
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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