If you prioritize performance for engineering, 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the ASUS ROG Strix G18 excels, especially with a higher refresh rate screen and powerful graphics. However, it's heavier and has significantly lower battery life, making it less portable than the MacBook Pro 13 (2020). The MacBook is lighter, has a longer battery life, and offers silent operation, ideal for general use and portability. Its screen delivers high color accuracy and brightness but lacks the fast refresh capabilities of the ASUS. For users looking for a balance of performance and portability at a somewhat lower cost, the MacBook Pro might be the better choice. 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 G18
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
422.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.6/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
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
6.3/10
8.7/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
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 G18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is only fair.
The MacBook Pro 13 (2020), with its efficient but less powerful Apple M1 GPU, is fair for 3D tasks and not suited for popular PC games many of which don’t run on macOS; it's more suitable for professional non-gaming use with long battery life and high portability. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Strix G18 boasts a high-end Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a high screen refresh rate, giving it very good gaming and 3D capabilities, yet it's less portable with shorter battery life.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.9/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 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.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.6/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is 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.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
8.7/10
13.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
422.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro's Retina display offers high resolution and brightness, making it excellent for general use, and the color accuracy of the screen appeals to engineering and design needs. However, for 3D work and gaming, the MacBook Pro's typical 60Hz refresh rate is less suitable, as higher refresh rates provide smoother visuals that are crucial in these areas. The ASUS ROG Strix, while also offering a high-quality display with accurate colors for general use and professional design tasks, falls short for gaming and 3D due to a screen that doesn't specialize in the high refresh rates gamers need.
Battery
20.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix G18 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
Poor
13.3in
SIZE
18.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$2,299
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the ASUS ROG Strix G18 costs $2,299.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix G18 to be very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) 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 Pro 13 (2020) and the ASUS ROG Strix G18 compare to other laptops
"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."
"With the ROG Strix G18, Asus has made an almost consistently good debut in the still quite new 18-inch laptop segment. The base unit case shows a few signs of weakness in the area of stability and is something which has an effect on the perceived quality of the input devices (the chassis tends to rattle a bit). Nevertheless, thanks to generous port features (incl. Thunderbolt 4), a striking design, and extensive lighting (keyboard, LED strip on the front), gamers get a fitting gaming platform."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the ASUS ROG Strix G18
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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