The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is more portable than the ASUS ROG Strix G18, making it a better fit if mobility is important to you. It also offers strong performance for general use and engineering tasks with good color representation on its high-resolution display, ideal for creative professionals. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Strix G18, with its larger screen, more powerful graphics card, and high refresh rate, is tailored for intensive gaming and demanding 3D or machine learning tasks. Both laptops have good build quality, but if you're prioritizing performance in gaming or specialized tasks over portability and battery life, the ASUS might be the better choice. 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 (2023)
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix G18
Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
8.7/10
5.2/10
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
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
8.9/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) are both very good for engineering and design, though the ASUS ROG Strix G18 is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is equipped with the M2 Pro chip, providing a balance of CPU and GPU power beneficial for software used in engineering and design, also featuring a high-resolution mini LED display for accurate color work. Conversely, the ASUS ROG Strix G18 offers a higher CPU performance with its Intel processor and superior graphics with the Nvidia GPU, alongside a larger screen, which makes it better suited for the most demanding tasks but at the expense of greater weight and lower portability.
Screen Quality
9.2/10
8.7/10
14.2in
SIZE
18.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
422.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix G18 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro's renowned Retina display delivers superior resolution, brightness, and color accuracy, making it ideal for tasks like photo editing and design where color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB are crucial. Conversely, its high-resolution screen may not refresh as quickly as dedicated gaming laptops, which could be a drawback for 3D applications where refresh rates are key. The ASUS ROG Strix, while offering excellent overall screen quality for daily use and professional design work, may not match the premium display of the MacBook Pro nor provide optimal refresh rates for gaming despite being designed with gamers in mind.
Battery
13.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has 8 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
Poor
14.2in
SIZE
18.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$2,299
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a price of $1,700 and the ASUS ROG Strix G18 costs $2,299.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and ASUS ROG Strix G18 are both very good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
8.5/10
8.6/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) 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
8.4/10
8.1/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and ASUS ROG Strix G18 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 (2023) and the ASUS ROG Strix G18 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."
"With the ROG Strix G18, Asus has made an almost consistently good debut in the still quite new 18-inch laptop segment. The base unit case shows a few signs of weakness in the area of stability and is something which has an effect on the perceived quality of the input devices (the chassis tends to rattle a bit). Nevertheless, thanks to generous port features (incl. Thunderbolt 4), a striking design, and extensive lighting (keyboard, LED strip on the front), gamers get a fitting gaming platform."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) or the ASUS ROG Strix G18
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 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
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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