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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is ideal if you prefer a lightweight, thinner laptop with quiet operation, a bright and color-accurate display, and good battery life for general use and light tasks. Its price is lower than the ASUS ROG Strix G18 and offers good build quality and silent operation due to its fanless design. Conversely, the ASUS ROG Strix G18 is aimed at power users who need top-tier performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering projects, with better performance for these intensive tasks thanks to its superior processor and graphics card. However, it is heavier, pricier, and has a lower battery life, making it less suitable for on-the-go 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 keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix G18
- 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
8.7
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
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 G18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18, with its Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and high 240Hz screen refresh rate, is tailored for high-performance needs like gaming and 3D tasks, offering smoother visuals and better graphic rendering capabilities. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is equipped with an Apple M2 GPU and a lower 60Hz refresh rate, making it less ideal for the same tasks; although, it does run MacOS, which doesn't support many popular games, limiting its gaming potential.
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.9
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 surpasses the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) in engineering and design applications largely due to its more powerful Intel i9 processor, double the RAM, and a higher-end Nvidia RTX GPU, facilitating intensive 3D and machine learning tasks, as well as providing a smoother experience with its high-refresh-rate display. However, the MacBook Air offers a fanless silent operation and is significantly more portable, benefiting users who prioritize a quiet work environment and need to carry their device frequently.
Content Creation
8.0
8.6
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 G18 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very good for content creation, though the ASUS ROG Strix G18 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.8
8.7
15.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
422.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The MacBook Air 15 has a high-resolution and bright display which enhances the viewing experience for general use, while its color gamut coverage ensures accurate color reproduction for engineering and design tasks; however, it lacks the high refresh rate crucial for smooth visuals in 3D applications. The ASUS ROG Strix G18 also boasts a high-quality display for general tasks and color-sensitive work, making it suitable for both general use and professional design projects. Unfortunately, despite being a gaming model, its screen doesn't offer the high refresh rates expected by gamers and 3D professionals, which can compromise the experience in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix G18 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
Poor
15.3in
SIZE
18.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has poor 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 G18 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$1,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the ASUS ROG Strix G18 costs $1,900.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.3
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
422.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix G18 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is rated good for general use due to its strong screen quality, long battery life, and lightweight design which makes it very portable, but it has less CPU and RAM power compared to gaming laptops. The ASUS ROG Strix G18, on the other hand, is very good for general use because it offers higher CPU and RAM capabilities, leading to better performance for more demanding tasks, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable.
Software Development
8.1
8.1
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
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) 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 G18 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | ASUS ROG Strix G18 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $1,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 15.7'' x 11.6'' x 1.06'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 6.61 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 15.71" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 11.57" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i9-13980HX | |
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" | 18" | |
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 | 422 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 5.7/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
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 G18
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | March 2023
"With the ROG Strix G18, Asus has made an almost consistently good debut in the still quite new 18-inch laptop segment. The base unit case shows a few signs of weakness in the area of stability and is something which has an effect on the perceived quality of the input devices (the chassis tends to rattle a bit). Nevertheless, thanks to generous port features (incl. Thunderbolt 4), a striking design, and extensive lighting (keyboard, LED strip on the front), gamers get a fitting gaming platform."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the ASUS ROG Strix G18
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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