The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) offers a higher performance suitable for engineering tasks, 3D rendering, and machine learning, but it comes at a higher price and may not be as portable as some alternatives. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is more budget-friendly and promises improved portability, though it has lower performance, making it less suitable for intensive tasks. If portability and price are your main concerns and your usage is more casual or for general purposes, the ASUS may suit you better. However, for better performance in more demanding applications, you would benefit from choosing the MacBook Pro despite the extra cost and lower portability. 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
Very good portability
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook Go 15
The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020).
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
5.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) surpasses the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 in processing speed and memory, which contributes to better performance in general use, and it also offers a superior screen quality that enhances viewing experiences. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 falls short in these aspects with a less powerful processor and lower memory, coupled with a lower-quality display, affecting its overall usability for general tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
5.5/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 with its M1 GPU delivers better performance and screen quality for 3D tasks than the ASUS Vivobook Go 15, which has a lower-tier Intel UHD Graphics and lesser screen quality. However, the MacBook Pro's limitation of incompatible games with macOS and the Vivobook Go's inferior GPU and screen make neither ideal for serious gaming.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
5.4/10
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 15 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) boasts a higher-performance CPU and GPU which are crucial for engineering and design tasks, along with a superior screen that aids in precise visual work, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has a lower-tier CPU and GPU, along with a less advanced screen, which may not meet the demands of engineering software and detailed design work. Additionally, the MacBook's quality keyboard and silent operation enhance the work environment, but its higher cost and somewhat less portability could be a trade-off against the more affordable but less capable ASUS Vivobook Go 15.
Content Creation
7.8/10
5.7/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 15 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
5.9/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 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 Go 15 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
5.2/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) offers high resolution and brightness, with an IPS panel that provides excellent viewing angles and color reproduction, crucial for general use and detail-oriented engineering work, benefiting from wide color gamuts. The ASUS Vivobook Go 15, with lower resolution and brightness, may result in a less vivid and sharp display, impacting the quality for everyday tasks and precision required for engineering and design. Additionally, the MacBook's screen lacks a high refresh rate, which is essential for smooth visuals in 3D applications, an area where gaming laptops typically excel but in this case, both models fall short.
Battery
20.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$240
$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 15 costs $240.
"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."
"The Asus Vivobook Go 15 is a good option if you’re looking for one device to tackle a bunch of smaller problems. For simple school studies, portable evening entertainment or distractions, and getting household admin or light office workloads out of the way, it’s a great little package with respectable battery life, and a great contender for the advent of cloud gaming."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the ASUS Vivobook Go 15
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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