For general use with an emphasis on portability and less intensive tasks, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is typically more suitable, offering lighter weight and a longer battery life. Its display also features higher resolution and better color accuracy, which is beneficial for creative work. Alternatively, the ASUS TUF Gaming A17 is geared towards gaming and more demanding engineering or 3D/machine learning tasks due to its more powerful graphics card and processor, along with a speedier refresh rate for smoother visuals in motion. However, it is heavier, which reduces portability and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal 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)
Very good for software development
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS TUF Gaming A17
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
8.1/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has an Apple M2 integrated GPU and a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, making it suitable for less demanding 3D tasks, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A17, equipped with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a higher refresh rate of 144 Hz, excels in gaming and 3D performance. Additionally, the majority of popular PC games aren't compatible with the MacBook's MacOS, further pushing the ASUS TUF as the preferred choice for committed gamers.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
8.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is equipped with an Apple M2 CPU and integrated GPU, known for its balanced performance and efficiency, complemented by a high-quality screen, making it suitable for design tasks; however, its lower RAM and storage may limit its capability for intensive engineering simulations.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
6.8/10
15.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
253.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A17 for general use, AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Air likely boasts a higher resolution and better brightness, making text and images sharp and vivid for general tasks; its more accurate color reproduction is essential for engineering and design work, where color precision matters. The ASUS TUF Gaming A17, while fair for general use and engineering, may have lower brightness and less color accuracy, compromising the crispness and fidelity needed in these areas. However, for 3D, the MacBook Air's low refresh rate hampers the smoothness of motion which is critical, an area where gaming laptops like the ASUS often excel but is let down in this case.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 has 10 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
17.3in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,550
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,000 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A17 costs $1,550.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming A17 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air 15, with its lightweight design and fanless operation, offers portability and silent use for general tasks while still delivering high screen quality and long battery life, but with less RAM and a less powerful CPU compared to the ASUS TUF Gaming A17. On the other hand, the ASUS TUF Gaming A17, tailored for gaming with a high-performance CPU and more RAM, offers a larger screen and better storage but is less portable due to its heavier weight and has a shorter battery life, which might limit its on-the-go use for general tasks.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 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
8.1/10
7.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for software development, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A17 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 TUF Gaming A17 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."
"There is one big question that needs an answer. Is the TUF Gaming A17 FA707 a better purchase than the ROG Strix G17 G713R (2022)? Well, it depends. Undoubtedly, the Strix is the more premium product. Arguably the biggest advantage it has over its TUF fellow is in regards to the display. ASUS TUF Gaming A17 A707’s IPS panel has a Full HD resolution, comfortable viewing angles, and a very good contrast ratio."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the ASUS TUF Gaming A17
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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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
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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Laptops Expert
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