The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) offers a higher level of performance, a more vibrant and higher-resolution display, and a longer battery life, making it suitable for more demanding tasks such as video editing, graphic design, and programming. The macOS operating system is often preferred by creative professionals for its software ecosystem. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is more affordable and lighter, making it easier to carry around, but with its lower-powered processor and limited storage, it's more suitable for basic tasks like web browsing, document editing, and streaming media. Its Windows operating system offers flexibility and a wide range of software compatibility for general use. Keep in mind, the MacBook's higher price reflects its premium build and capabilities, while the Vivobook's modest specs align with its budget-friendly cost. 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 Go 12
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
5.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.4/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) with its Apple M1 chip including an 8-core GPU is fair for 3D applications due to its more capable graphics processing abilities and better screen quality, but it's worth noting that not all popular games are compatible with MacOS.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
5.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is equipped with the high-performing Apple M1 processor and 8-core GPU, and offers a sharper and more color-accurate IPS screen, making it suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 uses a less powerful Intel Celeron processor with integrated graphics and features a lower-resolution TN panel with limited color accuracy, which is not optimal for such specialized work.
Content Creation
7.8/10
5.7/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.7/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.1/10
13.3in
SIZE
11.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 offers a high-resolution display with bright and vivid colors, making it well-suited for general use and engineering tasks where accurate color representation is crucial. Although it's excellent for static images and design work, it may not be the best for 3D applications due to a lower refresh rate, which is more important for the smooth rendering of fast-moving images. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook Go 12, with its lower resolution and brightness, does not provide the same level of detail or color accuracy, making it less ideal for both general use and professional design work, not to mention gaming and 3D which also require higher performance display characteristics it lacks.
Battery
20.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has 10 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
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$267
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 costs $267.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Vivobook Go 12 to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has 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 Go 12 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 Go 12
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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