The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) offers a high-quality display, a lightweight and portable design, and long battery life, which makes it an excellent choice for general use and for users who value portability and battery performance. However, if you require unique features like dual screens, the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 provides this, along with decent performance for general use and engineering tasks. It may also be at a lower price point than the MacBook Pro. Nevertheless, bear in mind that the Zenbook's additional screen may contribute to a bulkier build and reduced battery life compared to the MacBook Pro. If your work involves intensive 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering software, you might be better served by laptops specifically designed for those purposes, as neither of these models is optimized for high-end gaming or highly demanding technical applications. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Good for engineering and design
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 Zenbook Duo 14
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020).
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
7.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
314.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is preferred for general use because it is lighter, with a fanless operation that offers silent use, superior screen quality, and significantly longer battery life. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14, while having a larger and sharper main display with touch capability and more storage, has a heavier build, louder operating noise, and a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for frequent portability and extended use without charging.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
6.6/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) with its Apple M1 processor, high screen resolution, and color accuracy is excellent for design tasks, while its fanless operation makes it quiet during intense engineering workloads. The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14, with a high-end Intel processor, offers additional screen real estate through a second display and has more storage but falls short in screen color accuracy and fan noise compared to the MacBook.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is somewhat better.
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
7.0/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
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) and ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is somewhat better.
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
6.8/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
314.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a high-resolution, bright display with strong color accuracy, which makes it well-suited for general use and favorable for engineering and design tasks that depend on precise color representation. However, it lacks the higher refresh rate desirable for 3D rendering and gaming, which can make motion appear less smooth. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 offers a good screen quality for both general use and technical applications due to its competent resolution and color fidelity, but like the MacBook, it's not optimized for 3D tasks because it too does not offer a high refresh rate.
Battery
20.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has 8.5 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
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has somewhat better 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 Zenbook Duo 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
$999
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 costs $999.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020), with its integrated Apple M1 GPU and standard screen refresh rate, is fair for 3D applications but lacks the extensive game library available on Windows laptops like the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14, which also has fair performance for gaming and 3D with its Iris Xe GPU and similar screen refresh rate; both are somewhat limited by their standard 60Hz displays, essential for smoother visuals in fast-paced games.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the ASUS Zenbook Duo 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."
"The Asus ZenBook Duo's second screen is like the Apple Touch Bar, but better. Most would agree that having two screens instead of one can really boost productivity and the ZenBook Duo is no different in this regard. It's tough going back to just one screen after becoming accustomed to spacious dual-screen setups. For a laptop form factor, however, users will have to accept some compromises. Firstly, weight is the most obvious drawback as the system is several hundred grams heavier than a regular ZenBook 14. Additionally, colors on the second screen will not be as vivid as the main display."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the ASUS Zenbook Duo 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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