The decision between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the ASUS R410MA largely depends on your needs and budget. The MacBook Pro offers high performance suitable for intensive tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, and advanced computations, making it a good choice for professionals and creatives. It typically boasts a high-quality display, long battery life, and robust build, but comes with a premium price tag. On the other hand, the ASUS R410MA may be more budget-friendly and sufficient for general tasks like web browsing, word processing, and watching videos, but it may not handle demanding tasks as well. It's likely lighter and more portable than the MacBook Pro, but this may come at the expense of performance and battery life. If your work requires powerful specs, the MacBook Pro is a worthwhile investment, but for everyday use, the ASUS could save you money. 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 14 (2021)
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS R410MA
The ASUS R410MA has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
5.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the ASUS R410MA is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) outshines the ASUS R410MA for general use due to its superior CPU and RAM, which are crucial for performance, along with a high-quality screen that offers better resolution and brightness. The MacBook also wins in portability and battery life, enabling longer usage without charging, whereas the ASUS, despite its competent portability, falls short in battery longevity and display attributes, essential for a satisfactory user experience.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
5.4/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS R410MA is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is equipped with a significantly more powerful GPU which is better suited for 3D applications and offers a higher refresh rate display, enhancing visual fluidity crucial for gaming and 3D work. In contrast, the ASUS R410MA comes with a much less capable GPU and a lower refresh rate display, resulting in poor performance in gaming and 3D tasks, although it's important to note that many popular games are not compatible with the MacBook's operating system.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
5.3/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS R410MA is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) stands out for engineering and design work due to its powerful Apple M1 Pro processor, abundant RAM, and superior GPU, along with a high-resolution Mini LED screen that offers wide color coverage and high brightness, enhancing the visual experience for detailed work.
Content Creation
8.4/10
5.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS R410MA is poor.
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
8.3/10
5.6/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the ASUS R410MA is poor.
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
9.2/10
5.1/10
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS R410MA for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers a high-resolution, bright Retina display with a wide color gamut, providing crisp and vibrant visuals for general use and precision for engineering and design tasks, but a standard refresh rate limits its appeal for 3D applications. In contrast, the ASUS R410MA's lower resolution and brightness result in less clarity and color vibrancy, making it less ideal for both everyday tasks and professional design work. Furthermore, the ASUS's standard panel doesn't meet the high refresh rates preferred for smooth 3D rendering and gaming.
Battery
13.5 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS R410MA 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS R410MA has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$111
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the ASUS R410MA costs $111.
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
"The Asus Laptop L410 is a super-affordable PC, even among budget notebooks, compromising on the display and processing power to deliver a serviceable Windows machine with good battery life and useful ports. The build is reasonably solid, there’s a good mix of ports, battery life is long enough, and it can perform basic everyday tasks. On the flip side, the screen is poor, anything other than basic tasks is a tough ask, and it has little memory and even less storage."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the ASUS R410MA
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,095
Recommendations made
22,338
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.