The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) offers high performance and a premium build, making it suitable if you need a powerful machine for tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, or software development. It is also portable and has a longer battery life, but it tends to be more expensive. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook 17 has a larger screen, which is great for multitasking and enjoying media, and it usually comes at a more affordable price, but with that comes lower performance compared to the MacBook Pro, and it is less portable due to its size. If mobility and high performance for demanding applications are your priority, and cost is less of a concern, the MacBook Pro may be the better choice. However, if you prefer a larger display for easier multitasking and are looking to save money, the Vivobook might be the better option, albeit with tradeoffs in performance and portability. 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
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook 17
The ASUS Vivobook 17 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.0/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
263.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in general use due to its powerful M1 Pro processor, ample RAM, superior mini LED screen quality, higher portability, and longer battery life, making it well-suited for a range of demanding applications and on-the-go usage. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 17, while offering a larger screen, has a less robust processor, less RAM, standard IPS panel, lower screen resolution, and shorter battery life, which might limit performance and portability for users with intensive computing needs.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
6.0/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and ASUS Vivobook 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a robust GPU that supports demanding 3D tasks and a high-quality screen, but it's limited in gaming because many popular games aren't compatible with macOS. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 17 with its fair GPU can handle some gaming and 3D applications, and its large screen provides a good visual experience, but it may not match the screen refresh rate and GPU performance of the MacBook for high-end 3D rendering tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.3/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 is only fair.
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
8.4/10
7.0/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 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
8.3/10
6.9/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 is only fair.
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
6.2/10
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
263.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 17 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a high-resolution Retina display that provides vibrant colors and excellent brightness, making it ideal for general use and engineering where color precision is crucial. However, its refresh rate is not as high as some gaming-focused laptops, which is why it's less suited for 3D work that benefits from fast refresh rates. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 17 offers decent resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and engineering designs, but it lacks the higher color accuracy and fast refresh rates necessary for the best experience in gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
13.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 17 has 6 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
17.3in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$428
$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 Vivobook 17 costs $428.
"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 Vivobook 17 is an affordable 17-inch laptop with passive cooling. On one hand, you get a really quiet and cool work device with a good system performance, many connections, good maintenance options, speakers acceptable for multimedia enjoyment, and a sharp and clear matte FHD IPS display with the Asus VivoBook 17 (F712JA). On the other hand, the USB-C port lacks Power Delivery and DisplayPort, and the display, a higher brightness and better color space coverage."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the ASUS Vivobook 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 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.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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