The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) excels in build quality, display, and software optimization for creative tasks while offering strong performance and long battery life; its higher price reflects this premium experience. Laptop shoppers seeking a balance between work and gaming may gravitate towards the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 due to its gaming-optimized hardware, though at the expense of battery life and potentially increased weight, which can limit portability. When prioritizing high-performance gaming or resource-intensive tasks on a budget, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 stands out despite compromise in build quality and possibly higher noise levels from cooling fans. If mobility, battery longevity, and a focus on productivity and creative software are paramount, the MacBook Pro 14 may be worth the investment, benefiting from a seamless ecosystem if you're already using Apple products. 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)
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 TUF Gaming A16
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.5/10
7.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) provides an excellent experience in general use because it has a high-quality screen, strong CPU and GPU, solid build, and very good portability with long battery life, which compensates for the higher price. In contrast, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16, while competent for general use, is heavier, has slightly lower battery life, and a lower screen quality, although it offers a good balance between performance and cost for those who need a machine with gaming capabilities.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
7.7/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is prized for engineering and design, primarily due to its powerful Apple M2 Pro CPU and GPU, high-resolution Mini LED screen with exceptional color accuracy, all housed in a highly portable chassis with a top-tier keyboard. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16, while also suitable for engineering and design with a robust AMD Ryzen CPU and AMD RX GPU, caters more to gaming with a higher refresh rate screen and hardware ray tracing, but has a lower screen resolution and color accuracy, and is less portable due to its larger size and weight.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.6/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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
8.4/10
7.3/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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
7.5/10
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) offers a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and color accuracy, making it ideal for general use and engineering and design tasks that require precise color representation, but its standard refresh rate isn't optimal for 3D applications that benefit from faster screen updates. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16, while offering good general display features for everyday tasks and sufficient color gamut for engineering and design work, falls short in providing an immersive gaming and 3D experience due to a lower refresh rate, which is less suitable for the quick motion rendering needed in these contexts. These differences reflect inherent design choices, where the MacBook prioritizes professional color work, and the ASUS aims to balance cost with versatile performance, albeit not specializing in gaming-grade refresh rates.
Battery
13.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 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
4.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has very good portability, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$838
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a price of $1,700 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 costs $838.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) are both good for gaming and AI.
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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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."
"The A16 makes an excellent case against more expensive laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and the MSI Katana GF76, especially if you’re into 1080p gaming. However, although its affordable, it doesn’t skimp on performance or a robust chassis. But for me, the biggest factor that sets it apart from these options is its incredible battery life. In my time reviewing laptops, I can’t remember when I last saw a gaming laptop lasted 11 and a half hours on a single charge, which makes the A16, in my book, truly outstanding."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) or the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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.