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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a high-resolution touchscreen for versatile use and gaming ability, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 offers this with a dedicated graphics card suitable for gaming and creative tasks. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers a Mini LED display and is equipped with Apple's M1 Pro processor, which provides strong performance in general, 3D and engineering tasks while offering a longer battery life. The MacBook is heavier and usually costs more but has a better build quality, speaker, and keyboard. The ASUS is lighter, enhancing portability, and tends to be less expensive, but comes with a shorter battery life and reduced build and heat management quality. 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)
- 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 ROG Flow Z13
- Good for gaming and AI
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.8
7.5
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 with its Apple M1 Pro GPU and a high-quality Mini LED screen with a refresh rate of 120 is good for 3D applications, while the ASUS ROG Flow Z13, equipped with a Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and an IPS screen with a high refresh rate of 165, excels in gaming and 3D tasks; however, the latter offers wider compatibility with popular games, as many do not run on the MacBook's MacOS.
Screen Quality
9.2
8.4
14.2in
SIZE
13.4in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
511.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Pro 14 offers a high-resolution, bright display with broad color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, making it excellent for general use and engineering, where color accuracy is crucial. However, it lacks a high refresh rate, which is key for smooth visuals in 3D applications. The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 also provides a sharp, vibrant screen suitable for general tasks and design work, but for gaming and 3D, its screen falls short due to a lower refresh rate, despite its respectable resolution and panel quality.
Battery
13.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has 6.5 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
Excellent
14.2in
SIZE
13.4in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$1,600
$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 ROG Flow Z13 costs $1,600.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.4
8.0
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
511.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) stands out for general use with its powerful M1 Pro chip, ample RAM, superior screen quality with Mini LED technology, solid battery life, and robust build, making it a well-rounded machine for a variety of tasks. Meanwhile, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 offers a balance of performance with its Intel i9 processor and RTX 4050 GPU, twice the storage capacity, a touch-compatible IPS screen for interactive tasks, and the added versatility of a detachable keyboard for tablet use, albeit with shorter battery life.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.4
8.2
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 are both very 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
8.3
8.0
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 are both very 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 14 (2021) and the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) | ASUS ROG Flow Z13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,905 | $1,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 11.9'' x 8.1'' x 0.54'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 2.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 11.89" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 8.11" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 Pro (8C) | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 13.5 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 479 nits | 511 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 4K | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"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."
ASUS ROG Flow Z13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a gaming tablet with powerful Alder Lake i9 CPU. The ROG Flow Z13 impresses with its good cooling. After our review, the impression is predominantly positive. Besides a very fast Alder Lake CPU and stable gaming performance, especially the cooling system is surprisingly effective and quiet. You can use the integrated speakers without any issues while gaming. The 1200p display in the 16:10 format also impresses with good color reproduction and high brightness. Since the battery runtimes aren't particularly long as it is, we wouldn't recommend the optional 4K panel."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the ASUS ROG Flow Z13
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.
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