If you prioritize a lightweight laptop with a higher quality build, silent operation, and long battery life, the Apple MacBook Air would suit you, but it comes at a higher price and has less storage capacity and RAM than the ASUS Vivobook. The Vivobook, meanwhile, offers ample storage, more RAM for multitasking, and a larger screen which could be beneficial for engineering and general use. However, it falls short in terms of portability and battery life compared to the MacBook Air, and its less expensive price reflects a compromise in build quality and display color accuracy. The MacBook Air with its macOS may be preferred for certain software used in creative industries, while the Vivobook’s Windows operating system could be more familiar or necessary for other 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
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 Vivobook 16
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
7.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and ASUS Vivobook 16 are both good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) excels in engineering and design use with its high screen quality and powerful integrated Apple M2 GPU, whereas the ASUS Vivobook 16 stands out due to its superior RAM and dedicated AMD graphics, crucial for demanding applications in the same fields. However, the MacBook Air offers greater portability and silent operation, while the Vivobook provides a larger storage capacity and an expandable RAM and storage option, both tailored to suit different aspects of engineering and design needs.
Software Development
8.1/10
7.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 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.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
6.4/10
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
295.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Air 15 boasts a higher resolution and superior brightness, delivering crisp and vibrant visuals that enhance everyday tasks, from browsing to watching videos, thus providing a very good screen quality for general use and engineering, also supported by its wide color gamuts that ensure accuracy for design work. However, its refresh rate isn't optimized for 3D applications, compromising the smoothness required for such content. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook 16 has an adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and fair color reproduction for engineering and design, but its lower refresh rate and screen attributes do not suit the demanding nature of gaming or 3D graphics work.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 16 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
Good
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$668
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the ASUS Vivobook 16 costs $668.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and ASUS Vivobook 16 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.3/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and ASUS Vivobook 16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) features an Apple M2 integrated GPU, which provides moderate performance for 3D applications but lacks the higher refresh rates and dedicated graphics processing power found in more specialized gaming laptops.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
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 Vivobook 16 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.
Give feedback
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the ASUS Vivobook 16 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."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, Yannick Khong | May 2023
"The ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023) is a budget Windows laptop. It's available with various AMD Ryzen 5000 and 7000 U-series CPUs and integrated graphics. You can only get 8GB of RAM; however, there's an empty SO-DIMM slot if you want to upgrade it. It has an FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 16:10 IPS display, a full-size keyboard with a Numpad, a 720p webcam, and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity. Ports include three USB-As, one USB-C, an HDMI, and a headphone jack. The USB-C supports charging but no video output."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the ASUS Vivobook 16
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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