If your highest priorities are performance for engineering tasks and a high-quality display, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 may serve you well despite a higher price. Its powerful internals are suited for intensive workloads, and the display's color accuracy is ideal for precise visual tasks. However, this model is less portable due to its weight and dimensions. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook 15 offers a balance between price and performance, being more budget-friendly; it is adequate for general use and capable of some engineering applications but may struggle with more demanding tasks. It is also slightly more comfortable to carry around, but its screen size and quality don't match the MacBook's. Additionally, the MacBook's fanless design ensures silent operation, while the ASUS Vivobook's cooling may be more noticeable. The MacBook also has a significantly longer battery life, which can be a crucial factor if you frequently work on the go without access to a power outlet. 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)
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 15
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022).
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
6.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) boasts a more powerful Apple M2 processor, higher-quality screen with better color accuracy, and impressively longer battery life, making it a strong option for general use, especially for those who desire performance and display excellence in a portable form. The ASUS Vivobook 15, while offering a larger screen and a more budget-friendly price, comes with a less powerful Intel i3 processor, lower screen color accuracy, and significantly shorter battery life, which makes it adequate for basic tasks but less suitable for demanding applications or long periods away from a power source.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
5.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 (2022) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is poor.
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
6.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is better suited for engineering and design due to its more powerful Apple M2 processor and higher screen quality with impressive colorspace coverage and brightness, ensuring sharp and vibrant visuals crucial for precision work. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 15, with its less capable Intel i3 processor and lower screen quality, is adequate for basic tasks but may not handle demanding design applications as effectively.
Content Creation
7.9/10
6.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 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
6.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
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 (2022) is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 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
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 boasts a higher resolution display with excellent color accuracy that covers a wide color gamut, providing sharp images and vibrant colors needed for engineering and design tasks, but its refresh rate is lower, making it less ideal for 3D applications where fluid motion is essential. The ASUS Vivobook 15, while offering fair screen clarity and enough brightness for everyday tasks and casual design work, lacks the higher color fidelity and wider color spectrum critical for professional design accuracy. Additionally, its modest refresh rate, similar to the MacBook, isn't optimal for 3D work or gaming, where smoother frame transitions are key.
Battery
20.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 15 has 6 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
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has very good portability, while the ASUS Vivobook 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 (2022) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,219
$530
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 and the ASUS Vivobook 15 costs $530.
"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 15 is a quiet office notebook with a strong screen. However, the VivoBook 15 still has room for improvement. Office and internet applications as well as simple games do not pose any major challenges for the VivoBook - this is ensured by the built-in combination of Ryzen 7 5700U APU and 16 GB of RAM. Heat and noise emissions are acceptable. But, the laptop has weaknesses that should not be present at this level: lack of keyboard lighting, a slow memory card reader, no fast USB-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt 4) with Power Delivery and DisplayPort. Battery runtimes can only be described as average."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) or the ASUS Vivobook 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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