For general use, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 is a dependable performer with longer battery life, making it great for day-long work without needing to carry a charger. Its screen quality is particularly high, and its larger size and Mini LED technology enhance media consumption and creative work. The audio quality, build, and heat management are top-tier.
However, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13, while slightly less portable due to a shorter battery life, offers a responsive touchscreen, superior processing power with its Intel chip and Nvidia graphics for highly intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming. The Z13's higher RAM and storage capacities are a plus for heavy multitasking and data-intensive operations. If your work demands high-end specs and you prefer a 2-in-1 form factor with gaming capabilities, the ASUS is the way to go. Otherwise, for a blend of performance and comfort, especially outside of engineering and gaming, the MacBook Pro is a solid 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 (Late 2023)
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 ROG Flow Z13
Good for gaming and AI
Excellent portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
7.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its Apple M3 GPU, offers impressive graphical capabilities suitable for 3D applications, teamed with a high-quality Mini LED display with good refresh rate and color accuracy, but keep in mind that it runs macOS which limits game compatibility.
Screen Quality
9.2/10
8.4/10
14.2in
SIZE
13.4in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
511.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 for general use, and engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14's display boasts high resolution and brightness, along with excellent color accuracy, making it perfectly suited for general use and professional design workflows that require precise color representation. However, its screen refresh rate isn't designed for 3D applications, which generally benefit from a higher refresh rate for smoother visuals. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 offers similar benefits in resolution and color accuracy for general use and design tasks, but falls short in providing an optimal refresh rate needed for gaming and 3D content, which detracts from the overall experience in these scenarios.
Battery
17.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has 6.5 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
13.4in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,399
$1,600
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,399 and the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 costs $1,600.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its powerful CPU, high-quality Mini LED display, and longer battery life is ideal for demanding general use, though its heavier weight reduces portability. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 offers more RAM and storage, a detachable keyboard enhancing portability, and a touch screen that might prove useful in certain scenarios, albeit at the expense of a shorter battery life and suitability for gaming rather than pure general use tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
8.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 outshines the MacBook Pro 14 in engineering and design tasks due to its higher RAM capacity, more robust CPU, dedicated high-performance GPU, and greater screen resolution, which are essential for demanding software applications and detailed visuals. While the MacBook Pro offers a high-quality mini-LED display and a touch more portability, the ROG Flow Z13's added ability to function as a tablet and its overall power make it a superior choice for users needing to run resource-intensive engineering and design programs.
Content Creation
8.4/10
8.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 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
8.2/10
8.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 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 (Late 2023) and the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 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 Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a gaming tablet with powerful Alder Lake i9 CPU. The ROG Flow Z13 impresses with its good cooling. After our review, the impression is predominantly positive. Besides a very fast Alder Lake CPU and stable gaming performance, especially the cooling system is surprisingly effective and quiet. You can use the integrated speakers without any issues while gaming. The 1200p display in the 16:10 format also impresses with good color reproduction and high brightness. Since the battery runtimes aren't particularly long as it is, we wouldn't recommend the optional 4K panel."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) or the ASUS ROG Flow Z13
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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