The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) offers a sleek design, long battery life, and is optimized for creative tasks, especially if you are invested in the Apple ecosystem. However, it tends to be more expensive and offers fewer ports than many Windows laptops. The ASUS Zenbook 14X, on the other hand, might provide more diverse port options and a touchscreen with a 360-degree hinge for versatility, useful for presentations or hands-on work. It may also have a dedicated graphics card, making it better for light gaming or 3D applications while potentially being more cost-effective. However, Zenbooks often have shorter battery life compared to MacBooks and might not match the build quality or software optimization of the MacBook Pro. If your priorities are portability and battery life for productivity tasks, the MacBook Pro is a strong option. For more versatility, varied connectivity, and potentially better value with good performance for a range of tasks including light gaming, consider the Zenbook 14X. 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
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 14X
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6/10
8.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 14X for software development, and content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 and ASUS Zenbook 14X offer sharp, bright displays with high resolution and excellent panel types, ensuring clear and vivid images for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design, both laptops provide wide color gamuts, meaning they can display a broad range of colors precisely, which is crucial for accurate color work. However, for 3D work and gaming, the screens of both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, which can result in less smooth motion and decreased responsiveness compared to displays with higher refresh rates.
Battery
20.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 14X has 5.5 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,219
$777
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 and the ASUS Zenbook 14X costs $777.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and ASUS Zenbook 14X are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) offers a balanced option for general use with its efficient M2 CPU, vibrant screen, and exceptional battery life, paired with the lightweight design enhancing portability. Conversely, the ASUS Zenbook 14X brings more power for multitasking with its higher RAM and high-resolution OLED screen, but trades off with lower battery life and slightly more weight, potentially making it less portable.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.5/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is fair for 3D applications mainly because of its integrated GPU which is part of the Apple M2 chip; however, the machine runs on macOS, which is not compatible with many popular games, limiting its utility for gaming.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
7.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14X and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is equipped with Apple's M2 CPU and integrated GPU, which, paired with a high-resolution IPS display, offers solid performance and screen quality for engineering and design tasks, but with less RAM and storage than the ASUS Zenbook 14X, which features a robust Intel CPU, discrete Nvidia GPU, more RAM and a high-resolution OLED screen, making it powerful for demanding engineering software and graphics-intensive tasks. While the MacBook excels in battery life and quiet operation, the Zenbook provides more power and screen real estate, but is less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and ASUS Zenbook 14X are both good for content creation.
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
7.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and ASUS Zenbook 14X 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and ASUS Zenbook 14X both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and the ASUS Zenbook 14X 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."
"With the Zenbook 14X, Asus has a 14-incher in its range that is - mostly - a joy to use. First, there is the colorful OLED panel with 3K resolution that displays the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces. The Zenbook is also at the forefront in terms of workmanship, input devices and connections with 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports and a generous keyboard layout. A pleasure to use, the Zenbook 14X is a solid, very well-built subnotebook that sits well on the table. A runtime of five hours, however, is below average for a high-end subnotebook nowadays. The OLED screensaver causes increased power consumption when in idle mode."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) or the ASUS Zenbook 14X
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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