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Updated January 10, 2024·
If high performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming is important to you, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 may be the better choice, especially considering its dedicated graphics card. It also offers more storage upfront. However, it falls short in terms of battery life and portability compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021). The MacBook Pro, with its Mini LED display, offers superior build quality, better battery life, and a higher portability score; making it ideal for on-the-go use and general tasks. Its performance for engineering and intensive GPU-related tasks is good but not on par with the ASUS. Choose the MacBook Pro for portability and everyday use, or the ASUS for gaming and high-performance needs. Both have high-quality keyboards and screens, with the MacBook Pro providing a slightly better user experience in these aspects. 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 software development
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
- Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.8
8.7
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is suited for 3D tasks due to its dedicated Apple M1 Pro graphics and a high-contrast Mini LED screen, but it falls short for gaming as many popular titles aren't compatible with macOS. Conversely, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 excels in gaming and 3D with a more powerful Nvidia RTX graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate, delivering superior performance in fast-paced games, as well as being compatible with a wider range of games due to its Windows operating system.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.9
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design, though the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is regarded very good for engineering and design due to its capable CPU (Apple M1 Pro), sufficient RAM, and high-quality Mini LED screen, which provides excellent color accuracy and brightness, making it suitable for design work; however, its integrated GPU may limit performance in highly demanding graphical tasks. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is excellent for these fields, thanks to a more powerful Intel i9 CPU, a discrete Nvidia RTX GPU for superior graphics performance, a good quality IPS display, and twice the storage, but it's slightly heavier and bulkier, which affects portability.
Screen Quality
9.2
9.0
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
627.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the MacBook offers a high-resolution, bright display with a panel type that provides excellent color accuracy and viewing angles, making it ideal for daily tasks and media consumption. In engineering and design, the MacBook Pro excels due to its wide color gamuts, delivering true-to-life colors essential for precision in creative work. However, for 3D applications and gaming, where a high refresh rate is crucial for smooth motion, both the MacBook Pro and ASUS ROG Zephyrus fall short, potentially resulting in less fluid visuals during fast-paced scenes.
Battery
13.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 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
Good
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 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 Zephyrus M16 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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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
627.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 excels in general use because of its high-quality Mini LED screen, efficient CPU, and lightweight design for portability, along with a longer battery life. On the other hand, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 also has good RAM and a capable CPU, it's geared more towards gaming, sacrificing some portability and battery life but offering a high-refresh-rate screen and powerful GPU.
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 Zephyrus M16 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
7.8
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
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) to be very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is good.
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.
Cost
$1,905
$1,950
$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 Zephyrus M16 costs $1,950.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) | ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,905 | $1,950 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 14'' x 9.7'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 9.69" | |
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 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 13.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 479 nits | 627 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.3/10 | |
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 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
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 Zephyrus M16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is not yet as optimised as its predecessor. Compared to the previous gen, performance and efficiency have improved significantly. What's more, the wonderful, Mini-LED Nebula display is a contender for the main highlight and almost manages to put the CPU and GPU in the shade. We already found its predecessor to be a well-rounded and well-optimised gaming machine. Generally, but not unequivocally, that also applies to the new Asus M16. Similar to most of the current, new laptops, we are dealing with a double generational leap in terms of the CPU and GPU. However, this change doesn't always run smoothly."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
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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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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