Selecting between the MacBook Pro 14 and the Asus Vivobook S 15 depends on your preferences and needs. The MacBook Pro has a higher quality display, better build quality, speakers, and webcam, and boasts superior performance in general use and creative tasks. It also offers a longer battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go use despite being less portable than the Asus due to its weight. The Vivobook S 15 provides more storage, has a number pad, and is more affordable, but it lags behind in display and performance, particularly for demanding tasks. It's more suitable for general use rather than intensive engineering or 3D/machine learning. Choose the MacBook Pro if you prioritize performance and quality over price and portability, or opt for the Vivobook S 15 for a more budget-friendly option that still meets everyday computing needs. 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 S 15
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in engineering and design due to its high-quality Mini LED screen, superior GPU performance, and a well-rated keyboard which is conducive for these tasks, whereas the ASUS Vivobook S 15, despite having a larger storage capacity, has a standard IPS screen and its built-in GPU is less powerful for intensive tasks.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.6/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 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
7.4/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 S 15 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.
Screen Quality
9.2/10
6.3/10
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook S 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 boasts a high-resolution display with bright, vibrant colors that make general use such as web browsing, document editing, and media consumption a pleasure, and for engineering and design, its wide color gamuts ensure accurate color reproduction which is crucial for detailed work. However, its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops may make it less ideal for 3D applications where fluid motion is essential. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 provides an adequate screen for everyday tasks and engineering with fair resolution and color representation but falls short for gaming and 3D work due to its poor refresh rate, which can lead to less smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
13.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has 9 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
3.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the ASUS Vivobook S 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 S 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
$908
$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 S 15 costs $908.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and ASUS Vivobook S 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021), with its Apple M1 Pro GPU, excels in 3D tasks and offers a higher screen refresh rate for smoother visuals, but its macOS may limit game compatibility compared to the ASUS Vivobook S 15 which runs on Windows with fair gaming performance thanks to its AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Vega 8 integrated graphics, though it has a standard refresh rate. Both laptops have their strengths, but the MacBook's superior GPU and refresh rate make it better for 3D work, while the Vivobook's Windows operating system offers broader game support.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the ASUS Vivobook S 15 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Internals make Asus VivoBook S15 laptop a compelling option. The Asus multimedia laptop may look rather below-average with its modest black chassis, lack of a dedicated GPU, limited RAM and meagre port selection without Thunderbolt support. But your impression of the device will start changing once you set your eyes on its high-contrast OLED capable of producing deep blacks and highly accurate colours. And your opinion will change completely when the VivoBook is switched on. The AMD CPU can effortlessly keep up with powerful rivals from Intel. The integrated Radeon graphics blows away Intel's iGPU when it comes to graphics workloads such as rendering and simpler games."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the ASUS Vivobook S 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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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.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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.
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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.