The Apple MacBook Air is known for its slim design, light weight, and long battery life, making it highly portable and suitable for everyday tasks, whereas the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED often offers a high-quality display and may provide stronger performance for tasks like video editing or gaming. If you prioritize a lightweight device with long battery life for general use, the MacBook Air is an excellent choice. If you need better performance with superior display quality for creative work or entertainment, and do not mind a bit extra weight, the Zenbook 14X OLED could be a better option. Keep in mind, macOS in MacBook Air has exclusive software, while the Zenbook with Windows offers broader compatibility with software and peripherals. Pricing varies, with the MacBook Air typically positioned as a premium product. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Software Development
8.1/10
7.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED 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
8.6/10
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
376.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED for software development, and content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
When considering screen quality for general use, both the MacBook Air and the ASUS Zenbook excel due to their high-resolution displays and brightness, which ensure crisp and clear visuals for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, both laptops offer displays with wide color gamuts, which provide accurate color representation vital for detailed design work. However, for 3D work and gaming, the lack of a high refresh rate display in both laptops means less fluid motion and slower screen response times, which can hinder the experience in fast-paced visual environments.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has 6 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
Very Good
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$825
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED costs $825.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers a high-quality IPS screen, silent operation due to its fanless design, and excellent battery life, making it very portable and suited for general use. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED boasts a vibrant OLED touchscreen, more storage, and a higher refresh rate display, but it has a shorter battery life, which might limit its portability for extended use away from power sources.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.5/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
7.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is equipped with an M2 chip that integrates CPU and GPU, providing efficient performance for engineering tasks and a high-quality IPS screen for design, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED stands out with an Intel i5 processor with Iris Xe graphics and an OLED screen that delivers high color accuracy and contrast for detailed engineering and design work. While both have solid performance credentials, the MacBook Air offers silent operation and a higher brightness display, and the Zenbook 14X OLED provides touch capability and a higher screen refresh rate which may enhance the design experience.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED 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."
"While one of the more budget-friendly configurations of the Asus Zenbook 14X OLED may make a compelling case as a top value pick, it’s difficult to be disappointed with the more expensive model we reviewed here. At its core, for all models, it’s a luxury-built laptop with extreme portability and a gorgeous OLED display. Our unit rocks with a snappy Core i9 processor for getting real work done, and the discrete GPU—even if it has a clear power ceiling—is a bonus for creative pros."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED
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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