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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 come with trade-offs depending on your needs. The MacBook Air is more lightweight and offers longer battery life, making it ideal for portability and general use, and it operates silently without fans. Its performance is commendable for everyday tasks, plus it has a high-quality display. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a more powerful processor and graphics card, significantly boosting performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming. It also has a higher storage capacity and a more vibrant screen suitable for color-intensive tasks. However, this model is heavier and has shorter battery life, which could be a downside if mobility or all-day battery is a priority for you. 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
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Excellent overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5
8.5
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
6.2/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, equipped with an Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 240, is optimized for exceptional gaming and 3D performance, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 relies on its integrated Apple M2 GPU and a standard screen refresh rate of 60, making it fair for 3D but less suited for intense gaming needs, and also, many popular games are not compatible with its MacOS operating system.
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.8
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, with a powerful Intel CPU, double the RAM of the MacBook, a high-end Nvidia GPU, and an extremely sharp and color-accurate display, is geared to handle the most demanding engineering and design tasks with ease, although its weight and size affect portability and it has a louder operating noise compared to the MacBook's silent operation. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) with the M2 chip and integrated GPU offers strong performance for most tasks and benefits from a lighter and thinner design for better portability, along with silent operation, but it doesn't match the raw power and upgradability of the ASUS.
Screen Quality
7.8
9.0
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
627.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 for software development, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Air offers a high-resolution display with brightness that enhances visibility for tasks like web browsing and document editing, and its color coverage meets the needs in engineering and design for precise color work. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus, while sharing similar resolution and brightness suitable for general use and design jobs, falls short during gaming and 3D modeling because its refresh rate isn't as high, making it less ideal for the fast-paced visuals required in those areas. Both laptops excel in color accuracy and display quality for general and design purposes, but for gaming or 3D tasks that demand quick image changes, high refresh rates become crucial, and that's where the ASUS may disappoint.
Battery
15.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 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
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 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
$1,842
$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 Zephyrus M16 costs $1,842.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.9
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
627.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air with its high-resolution screen, lightweight design, and excellent battery life makes it an ideal choice for typical day-to-day tasks, being very portable and silent due to its fanless operation. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, on the other hand, offers a more powerful CPU and double the RAM for more demanding applications, alongside a high-quality screen with a higher refresh rate, though it's less portable and has a shorter battery life, making it better suited for intensive tasks including gaming.
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 Zephyrus M16 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
7.7
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
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $1,842 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 14'' x 9.7'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.69" | |
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 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 4.5 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 | 627 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 Zephyrus M16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is not yet as optimised as its predecessor. Compared to the previous gen, performance and efficiency have improved significantly. What's more, the wonderful, Mini-LED Nebula display is a contender for the main highlight and almost manages to put the CPU and GPU in the shade. We already found its predecessor to be a well-rounded and well-optimised gaming machine. Generally, but not unequivocally, that also applies to the new Asus M16. Similar to most of the current, new laptops, we are dealing with a double generational leap in terms of the CPU and GPU. However, this change doesn't always run smoothly."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
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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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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