The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) generally costs more, but for the additional expense, you get higher build quality, a significantly longer battery life, and a better display with a higher resolution and more accurate colors, making it suitable for tasks that require color precision. It's also excellent for general use with its good heat management and silent operation. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook 14 is less expensive and offers a larger screen size, but with a standard resolution and average color accuracy, favoring general use and budget-conscious customers. It has shorter battery life and is slightly heavier, affecting its portability. The MacBook runs macOS while the Vivobook runs Windows 11, so your preference for the operating system is also an important consideration. 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)
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook 14
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020).
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is rated higher for general use because it has a high-quality screen with better color coverage and brightness, more comprehensive operating system integration with its Apple M1 CPU, longer battery life, and excellent portability with fanless operation for silent use. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 14, while also quite portable and with a solid build quality, has a less impressive screen in terms of color accuracy and brightness, a shorter battery life, and is notably weaker in the areas of keyboard and speaker quality.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
6.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
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
6.9/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 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
7.8/10
6.8/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 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
7.6/10
6.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Pro 13 offers a high-resolution display and excellent color accuracy, making it ideal for engineering and design where details and color representation matter. However, it has a standard refresh rate, which is not optimal for 3D applications that benefit from smoother motion. Meanwhile, the ASUS Vivobook 14 provides an adequate display for everyday tasks and sufficient resolution and color for non-professional design work but falls short for gaming and 3D due to its standard refresh rate and less impressive color range.
Battery
20.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 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
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$429
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the ASUS Vivobook 14 costs $429.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and ASUS Vivobook 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a more capable integrated GPU with better screen quality, contributing to a fair experience for 3D tasks despite its lower refresh rate of 60Hz, which is standard for most laptops. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 14, while having a similar 60Hz refresh rate and a less powerful integrated GPU, runs Windows, which supports a broader range of games, but its lower screen quality limits its performance for gaming and 3D applications.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and ASUS Vivobook 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the ASUS Vivobook 14 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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the ASUS Vivobook 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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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