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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated February 26, 2024·
If price is a major concern and you need a laptop for everyday tasks with an emphasis on portability and battery life, the Apple MacBook Air is an excellent choice. On the other hand, if your work requires high performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the ASUS ROG Strix offers more power suited to demanding applications but comes at a higher cost and with less emphasis on battery life and portability. Choose based on whether your priority is everyday efficiency or specialized, intensive use. 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
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5
8.4
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15, while offering decent graphics capabilities, is limited by a lower GPU performance and screen refresh rate compared to the ASUS ROG Strix G16, making it less ideal for high-frame-rate gaming and intensive 3D tasks. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Strix G16, with its superior GPU and higher refresh rate, excels in these areas, but its gaming potential is partly restrained on the MacBook due to the incompatibility of many popular games with macOS.
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.8
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G16, with its advanced CPU, abundant RAM, and high-end GPU, excels in demanding engineering tasks and graphic-intensive design work, but it sacrifices portability due to its size and weight. Conversely, the Apple MacBook Air is more lightweight and portable with a high-quality screen and efficient performance for a variety of engineering applications, though it may not handle intense graphical tasks as well as the ASUS.
Screen Quality
7.8
8.8
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
459.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
For general use, both the MacBook Air and ASUS ROG Strix have high-resolution displays with excellent brightness, offering crisp and vibrant visuals. Engineering and design professionals would appreciate their wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation for detailed work. However, for 3D applications and gaming, where smooth motion is key, the lack of a high refresh rate on these laptops would result in less fluid visuals, hampering the experience.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix G16 has 8 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 (2024) 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 (2024) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$1,599
$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 (2024) costs $1,599.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.1
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
459.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 provides smooth performance for everyday activities with a quality screen and exceptional battery life, making it highly portable for users on the go. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Strix G16, with its superior CPU and RAM, excels in demanding tasks and gaming at the expense of heavier weight and shorter battery life, though it also boasts a high-quality display and effective heat management for sustained performance.
Content Creation
8.0
8.4
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) 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
9.9/10
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 Strix G16 (2024) 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $1,599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | January 1, 2024 | |
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 i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 8 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 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 459 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 (2024)
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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 (2024)
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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