If you prioritize higher performance, especially for engineering tasks or creative work that demands more processing power, the Apple MacBook Air with its M2 chip is the better option. However, it comes at a higher price and slightly less portability due to its bigger screen and marginally higher weight. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is more budget-friendly and quite portable but offers less performance, making it suitable for general use like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption. It may not be as capable for more demanding tasks like 3D rendering or complex computations. Both laptops have similar storage and RAM, but the MacBook Air has a better build quality, display, and speakers, along with a longer battery life, while the Vivobook excels in heat management and costs significantly less. 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)
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook Go 14
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
6.2/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is only fair.
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
5.7/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Air 15, with its better GPU and higher screen refresh rate, provides a more suitable experience for 3D applications than the ASUS Vivobook Go 14, which falls short in these crucial aspects for gaming and 3D tasks. However, the MacBook Air's operating system limits the selection of games available, whereas the Vivobook Go, even with lower performance, can run a broader range of games due to its compatibility with the Windows platform.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
5.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.1/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) outperforms the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 for engineering and design work primarily due to its more powerful M2 processor and GPU which handle complex tasks and renderings with ease, further complemented by its superior screen quality that provides higher resolution and color accuracy essential for detailed work.
Content Creation
8.0/10
6.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.1/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is only fair.
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
6.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is only fair.
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
6.2/10
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Air likely offers a high-resolution display with a bright and vibrant panel, making it excellent for general use and engineering tasks where color accuracy is crucial. However, its probably lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for 3D applications where smooth motion is key. The ASUS Vivobook Go's screen, while suitable for basic tasks and fair for color-dependent engineering work, may not be as bright or high-resolution and lacks the high refresh rate needed for optimal gaming and 3D modeling experiences.
Battery
15.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has 7 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$450
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 costs $450.
"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."
"The lack of a backlit keyboard in this price segment shouldn't sway the buyer the other way. However, it still comes down to user preference. The Vivobook Go 14 is a decent laptop in an extremely competitive price segment. A few omissions are a part of the balancing to reach the price segment. The Asus Vivobook Go 14 is a rare find when it comes to the price to performance ratio."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the ASUS Vivobook Go 14
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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