The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a performance edge, especially for engineering tasks and resource-intensive activities due to its powerful processor and GPU. It also sports a higher-quality mini-LED screen but is heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to its rival. On the other hand, the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is lighter and boasts a longer battery life, making it more portable. It also consists of a high-resolution 4K screen and offers the convenience of a 2-in-1 convertible laptop to be used as a tablet, which can be beneficial for presentations or creative work. The MacBook runs macOS and the Zenbook runs Windows 10 Pro, so your preference for an operating system could be the deciding factor; MacOS is generally preferred for multimedia tasks, while Windows offers broader compatibility with software, especially in a business environment. 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
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.5/10
7.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
372.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) offers an exceptional Mini LED screen and the potent Apple M2 Pro CPU, providing a premium experience for general use, enhanced by its longer battery life and robust build quality. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 boasts a sleek design, making it lighter and more portable, and combines a high-resolution IPS touchscreen with ample storage, though it has a shorter battery life and less powerful integrated graphics.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.3/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) excels in 3D tasks due to its powerful Apple M2 Pro GPU with 16 cores that handles graphic-intensive work smoothly. On the other hand, the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13, while offering only an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU, has a lower screen refresh rate which might not be as suitable for high-frame-rate gaming and may compromise certain 3D performances despite its versatility as a convertible laptop.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
7.4/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) stands out for engineering and design due to its powerful Apple M2 Pro CPU and integrated GPU, which excel in performance-intensive tasks, combined with its high-quality Mini LED display that provides vivid colors and sharp images.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.8/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
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 Zenbook Flip S13 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
7.6/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 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
7.9/10
14.2in
SIZE
13.3in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
372.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is renowned for its screen quality in general use and engineering due to its high resolution, bright display, and wide color gamuts that provide excellent color accuracy and vibrancy. The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 also offers a bright and high-resolution display suitable for both general use and engineering tasks, though it might fall short of the MacBook in color precision. However, both laptops have screens with lower refresh rates, which is less ideal for 3D applications and gaming where smoother motion from higher refresh rates is crucial.
Battery
13.5 Hours
10.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has 10.5 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
Excellent
14.2in
SIZE
13.3in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has very good 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 Zenbook Flip S13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$1,400
$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 Zenbook Flip S13 costs $1,400.
"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 Zenbook S 13 Flip is an ultra-sleek 2-in-1 convertible. A gorgeous OLED screen and lightweight magnesium chassis make this convertible a traveller’s dream. Its SSD isn’t fast, but it won’t hold you back in everyday use. Its battery life also isn’t class leading, but it’s hardly off the pace. Overall, the Zenbook S 13 Flip OLED holds its head high in the premium convertible category and is a smaller alternative to the Spectre x360 13.5 and the Yoga 9i Gen 7."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) or the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,095
Recommendations made
22,338
Consumer hours saved
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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
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.