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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is generally less expensive, lighter, and offers better battery life, making it suitable for general use and portability. Its Apple M1 chip provides efficient performance for everyday tasks and some creative work, but it has less storage and memory compared to the ASUS ROG Strix G17. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Strix G17 is slightly more expensive but equipped with a more powerful AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia graphics card, making it ideal for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks; however, it is bulkier and has a shorter battery life. 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 Pro 13 (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix G17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
8.4
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is only fair.
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
7.3
8.8
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
7.6
8.4
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
320.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13's Retina display offers exceptional resolution and brightness, leading to sharp, vivid visuals for general tasks and detailed work in engineering and design with accurate colors, but lacks a high refresh rate, making it less suitable for 3D where fluid motion is key. The ASUS ROG Strix G17, while providing a good level of brightness and resolution for everyday use and accurate color representation for professional work, falls short for gaming and 3D because despite its larger screen, the refresh rate may not keep up with the fastest-paced content. Both laptops are excellent for general and design tasks because of their display quality, yet they don't meet the top standards for 3D and gaming enthusiasts who prioritize smooth motion through higher refresh rates.
Battery
20.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has 3 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
Poor
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.8
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the ASUS ROG Strix G17 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
320.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.6/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is favored for general use because of its high-quality, bright screen, lightweight design, excellent battery life, and silent operation, making it highly portable and comfortable for everyday tasks. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Strix G17 offers superior CPU and graphics performance, more RAM, and a larger high-refresh-rate screen, which along with better heat management and gaming-grade speakers, make it a stronger choice for demanding applications and gaming, albeit with reduced portability and battery life.
Content Creation
7.8
8.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix G17 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) 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.
Software Development
7.8
7.7
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and ASUS ROG Strix G17 are both good for software development.
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 Pro 13 (2020) and the ASUS ROG Strix G17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) | ASUS ROG Strix G17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,249 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | 15.6'' x 11.1'' x 1.21'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 15.55" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 11.1" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 20 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58.2 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | 320 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
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 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2022
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
ASUS ROG Strix G17
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | October 2023
"The Asus ROG Strix G17 is an attractive but unbalanced gaming laptop. Its potent AMD Ryzen 9 processor excels in 1080p gaming, but playing at 1440p leaves the middling GeForce RTX 4060 GPU shouldering most of the burden. The display is exceptionally colorful, which is handy for content creators, but since this is a gaming laptop it would be better served with improved HDR capabilities. If battery life isn't a priority, the Strix G17 could serve as a designer by day and a gamer by night."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the ASUS ROG Strix G17
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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Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
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Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
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132,195
Recommendations made
28,643
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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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Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
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