Choosing between the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the ASUS ROG Strix G15 depends on your priorities. The MacBook Air is lighter and slimmer, providing excellent portability and a fanless design for silent operation. It runs macOS, which is preferred for its ecosystem and user-friendly interface, but it might not support all Windows-based applications. The ASUS, with its AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia graphics, offers stronger performance for gaming, 3D rendering, and intensive tasks. However, it's heavier and bulkier, which could be a downside if you travel often. The MacBook Air might save you some money, but if high performance is your priority, the ASUS might justify the extra cost despite being less portable. 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
Very good for content creation
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix G15
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
7.0/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a capable but less powerful integrated GPU suitable for moderate 3D tasks and a display with a standard refresh rate, while the ASUS ROG Strix G15 has a more powerful dedicated Nvidia GPU and a higher refresh rate screen, enhancing gaming and 3D experiences. Moreover, the MacBook Air runs on MacOS, which isn't compatible with many popular games, in contrast to the ASUS's Windows-based system, which supports a wider range of gaming titles.
Software Development
8.1/10
7.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix G15 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
7.8/10
7.1/10
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
284.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix G15 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air offers a high-resolution display with bright, vivid colors, making it ideal for documents, web browsing, and media consumption; it also covers a broad range of colors crucial for accuracy in engineering and design applications. However, it lacks a high refresh rate, which is critical for 3D work where smooth motion is a priority. Conversely, the ASUS ROG Strix G15, while providing good all-around viewing quality and satisfactory color reproduction for creative work, falls short for gaming and 3D tasks due to its limited refresh rate.
Battery
15.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix G15 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
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and ASUS ROG Strix G15 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) excels in general use due to its high-resolution screen, lightweight design for portability, long battery life, and the efficiency of the Apple M2 chip; it's well suited for those valuing a quiet, fanless operation and high portability. Conversely, the ASUS ROG Strix G15, with its powerful AMD Ryzen processor and dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics, offers a better multi-tasking experience and gaming capability, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, catering to users who prioritize performance over portability.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
7.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers a powerful Apple M2 CPU and integrated GPU suitable for design, coupled with a high-resolution display that excels in color accuracy, making it great for detail-oriented engineering work; however, it may not match the multitasking or heavy computational needs provided by the ASUS ROG Strix G15's more robust AMD Ryzen 9 CPU, ample RAM, and dedicated Nvidia GPU, which can offer a significant advantage in rendering and graphics-intensive tasks.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for content creation, while the ASUS ROG Strix G15 is good.
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.
Cost
$1,299
$1,249
$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 Strix G15 costs $1,249.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the ASUS ROG Strix G15 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."
"The ASUS ROG Strix G15 is a successful high-performance 15-inch laptop. The Asus ROG Strix impresses with an elaborate design and fast hardware. The latter can unleash its potential well in the large 15-inch case and achieve a decent performance boost compared to the previous generation. Especially the stunning 300 Hz display as well as the RTX 3070 and its generous TDP give gamers their money's worth. Asus didn't neglect seemingly small details, either, such as the keyboard and the maintenance options. The ROG Strix G15 offers a lot of pure performance and excellent workmanship in a 15-inch format, but connectivity leaves something to be desired."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the ASUS ROG Strix G15
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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