The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) offers a significantly higher performance and better screen quality, which makes it suited for intensive tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, and engineering work. It has a robust build and excellent heat management, plus a mini LED display for sharp, vibrant visuals. However, it comes at a higher price point and moderate portability due to its weight. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is much more affordable with lower specs, suitable for basic general use. It's slightly lighter, making it a bit more portable, yet it compromises on screen quality, performance, and battery life. If your usage is primarily heavy-duty, creative, or professional work, invest in the MacBook Pro; if it's more about everyday tasks like web browsing, office work, and media consumption without straining the budget, the Vivobook Go could suffice. 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 Go 15
The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
5.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is poor.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
5.5/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
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
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) with its powerful M1 Pro GPU and high screen refresh rate of 120 Hz can handle 3D tasks efficiently, providing a smooth visual experience. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has a lower-tier Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU and a standard screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, which isn't suited for demanding gaming or 3D applications, although it is important to note that the MacBook Pro is limited in terms of compatible games.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
5.4/10
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 Vivobook Go 15 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021), with its powerful M1 Pro processor, high RAM capacity, and advanced GPU, is better equipped for engineering and design tasks which require robust performance and superior screen quality, whereas the ASUS Vivobook Go 15, featuring a less powerful Intel Celeron processor, minimal RAM, and a basic GPU, is not designed to handle demanding engineering software and lacks the high-fidelity display necessary for precision work in design. Additionally, the MacBook's mini LED display with high brightness and color accuracy significantly outshines the Vivobook's standard TN panel, reinforcing the MacBook's suitability for professional creative work where visual detail is paramount.
Content Creation
8.4/10
5.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 Vivobook Go 15 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
5.9/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 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
5.2/10
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 Vivobook Go 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14's high-resolution display, bright panel, and excellent color accuracy across wide color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB ensure crisp, vibrant images, essential for both general use and professional engineering and design tasks. Whereas the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has lower resolution and brightness, which makes it less suitable for activities where fine detail and color representation are critical. For 3D work, though, the MacBook Pro's lack of a high refresh rate is a drawback compared to other laptops that prioritize this feature for smoother motion and rendering in 3D applications and games.
Battery
13.5 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has 7 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
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$240
$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 Go 15 costs $240.
"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 Go 15 is a good option if you’re looking for one device to tackle a bunch of smaller problems. For simple school studies, portable evening entertainment or distractions, and getting household admin or light office workloads out of the way, it’s a great little package with respectable battery life, and a great contender for the advent of cloud gaming."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the ASUS Vivobook Go 15
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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