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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and a quieter, fanless laptop with a long battery life, the Apple MacBook Air might suit you. It also offers a high-quality display, adequate for general use and media consumption. However, if you prioritize higher performance for intensive tasks such as gaming, 3D modeling, or machine learning, and you need a more powerful dedicated graphics card and a higher amount of memory and storage, the ASUS ROG Strix G16 is the better option. This laptop is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable but more capable for demanding applications. 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 G16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.9
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 Strix G16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 stands out for gaming and 3D due to its powerful Nvidia RTX graphics card which excels in rendering and frame rates during intense gaming sessions, whereas the Apple MacBook Air 15 is less optimized for these tasks with a less powerful GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, which is capped at 60Hz. Furthermore, the screen quality and CPU in the ASUS are also superior, which, along with a high refresh rate screen, contribute to its better suitability for gaming, bearing in mind that many games are not compatible with macOS.
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.3
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G16, with its more powerful processor, double the RAM, and superior dedicated graphics card, exceeds the Apple MacBook Air 15 in raw performance for demanding engineering tasks like 3D modeling; it also boasts a high-refresh rate screen, ensuring smoother visuals important for design work. In contrast, the MacBook Air 15, while less equipped for intensive tasks due to its integrated GPU and less RAM, offers a higher resolution screen, superior portability with less weight, and a fanless design for silent operation, contributing to better screen quality and user comfort for less hardware-intensive design jobs.
Screen Quality
7.8
7.5
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
291.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix G16 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the ASUS ROG Strix G16 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air's screen offers high resolution and brightness, which gives it an advantage for general use and engineering tasks that require attention to detail and color accuracy. It falls short for 3D due to its lower refresh rate, which is less smooth for fast-moving images. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Strix's screen, while also providing good resolution and brightness for general tasks and accurate colors for engineering, may not be optimal for gaming or 3D work as it has a poor refresh rate, making it less suitable for action-packed visuals that benefit from smoother transitions.
Battery
15.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix G16 has 9 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
Fair
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.5 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.8
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.7
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
291.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and ASUS ROG Strix G16 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is well-suited for general use because of its capable CPU and brilliant screen quality coupled with extraordinary portability and long battery life, though it has less RAM and storage than some users might need. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Strix G16, while also good for general use, offers high performance with its advanced CPU and more RAM, a high-quality screen, and additional storage, but it's heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less portable.
Content Creation
8.0
7.9
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 G16 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.
Software Development
8.1
7.7
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix G16 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
$1,375
$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 Strix G16 costs $1,375.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the ASUS ROG Strix G16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | ASUS ROG Strix G16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $1,375 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 13.9'' x 10.4'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 5.51 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 13.94" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.39" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i7-13650HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 291 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 2 | |
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 Strix G16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marc Herter | March 2023
"With the mobile Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080, the Asus ROG Stix G16 hits the sweet spot between performance and cooling. The G16 also does not have to shy away from direct comparison with its supposedly stronger family member, the ROG Strix Scar 18 with its RTX 4090, as most benchmarks of the two laptops are very close to each other. Moreover, the G16 should be significantly cheaper. Depending on the supplier, the price difference here could be almost US$ 2,000. In the 2023 model series, Asus has significantly leveled out the differences between the two high-end lines."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the ASUS ROG Strix G16
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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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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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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