If you prioritize a lightweight and easily portable laptop with long battery life, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is a great choice, especially for general use or productivity tasks. However, if you need higher performance for activities like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, although more expensive, offers superior graphics and processing capabilities but with a tradeoff in battery life and portability. Consider your primary use and whether you will frequently travel with your laptop when making your decision. 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 (2022)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Best in class battery life
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
8.5/10
4.3/10
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
6.2/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.8/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is designed with a focus on portability and silent operation, offering robust CPU and GPU integrated with the Apple M2 chip suitable for engineering and design, but with less power than dedicated gaming laptops. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 boasts a more powerful Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU with better screen brightness and refresh rates, making it excellent for demanding engineering and design tasks, but it is heavier and less portable with a shorter battery life.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
9.0/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
627.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 is recognized for its vivid display and high resolution, ensuring sharp and detailed images, making it excellent for everyday tasks and professional design work where color accuracy is paramount. However, its lower refresh rate is less ideal for 3D applications where smoother motion is crucial. Conversely, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, while also offering high resolution and broad color gamuts suited for general and engineering use, falls short for gaming and 3D tasks due to its poor refresh rate, despite its good screen characteristics for other uses.
Battery
20.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 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
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,219
$1,842
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 costs $1,842.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) are both good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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.
Software Development
7.8/10
7.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 are both good for software development.
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 (2022) and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 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 ROG Zephyrus M16 is not yet as optimised as its predecessor. Compared to the previous gen, performance and efficiency have improved significantly. What's more, the wonderful, Mini-LED Nebula display is a contender for the main highlight and almost manages to put the CPU and GPU in the shade. We already found its predecessor to be a well-rounded and well-optimised gaming machine. Generally, but not unequivocally, that also applies to the new Asus M16. Similar to most of the current, new laptops, we are dealing with a double generational leap in terms of the CPU and GPU. However, this change doesn't always run smoothly."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) or the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
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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