The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) excels in portability with its smaller size and lighter weight, alongside a longer battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go users who prioritize ease of carrying and longer usage without charging. It runs MacOS, which could be a preference if you're integrated into the Apple ecosystem. On the other hand, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 offers a larger screen and is a better fit for performance-intensive tasks like 3D work, machine learning, or gaming, thanks to its more powerful AMD Ryzen processor, Nvidia graphics, and substantially more RAM and storage. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. Both are priced in the midrange, with the MacBook often being slightly less expensive and the Zenbook slightly more, but the Zenbook's added performance may justify the price for users needing that extra power. Give Feedback
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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 speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 offers superior screen quality due to a larger display and comparable color accuracy, complemented by a more powerful CPU and significantly more RAM which makes it very good for multitasking and demanding tasks. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Pro 13, while smaller and lighter, providing better portability, also delivers an exceptional battery life which, along with its high-quality build and silent operation, makes it suitable for general use, especially for those on the move.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) offers a superior screen quality with higher resolution and color range, making it great for design tasks, while its fanless operation ensures silent use; its portability is bolstered by a lighter weight and longer battery life. Meanwhile, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 boasts a more powerful CPU and GPU, along with significantly more RAM, which favors intensive engineering software, at the sacrifice of screen resolution and increased weight, making it less portable.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.2/10
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 for general use, AI, and engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has a better screen for software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13's screen offers high resolution and brightness, which makes it excellent for general use, and its wide color gamuts ensure accurate color representation necessary for engineering and design tasks. However, its lower refresh rate limits its ability to display fast-moving 3D content smoothly. In contrast, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 also provides a good resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and sufficient color gamuts for creative work, its gaming and 3D performance is hampered by a modest refresh rate not suited for the high frame rates desired in those areas.
Battery
20.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has 9 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
17.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has very good portability, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,219
$1,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 and the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 costs $1,500.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 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
7.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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 Zenbook Pro 17 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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) or the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17
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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