Choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the ASUS Vivobook S 15, consider your priorities. The MacBook Pro offers a higher-end experience with a superior display, likely better build quality, and longer battery life, but at a significantly higher cost. It's suited for professional work such as video editing, software development, and design, especially for those already invested in the Apple ecosystem. The Vivobook is less expensive but comes with a larger screen, more storage, and an ample amount of RAM, making it a cost-efficient choice for general use and multitasking. It runs on Windows, which can be preferable for compatibility with a wider range of software, particularly in a business environment. The MacBook is also lighter and more portable but the Vivobook provides more connectivity options with additional ports. Consider the MacBook if you need top-tier performance and portability is essential, or the Vivobook if you seek value and greater storage for everyday tasks. 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)
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 (Late 2023).
Key differences
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
7.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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
8.2/10
7.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 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 (Late 2023) 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
489.0 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 MacBook Pro's superior screen resolution and brightness, paired with an excellent panel type, provide a sharp and vivid viewing experience for general use and design tasks, where color accuracy and wide color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB are crucial for precision work. The ASUS Vivobook, with its fair resolution and adequate brightness, offers a decent display for everyday tasks and can handle engineering applications but falls short in color fidelity compared with the MacBook Pro. However, for 3D applications where high refresh rates are key, both laptops may not be ideal due to their lower refresh rates, impacting the smoothness of fast-moving visuals.
Battery
17.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 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
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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 (Late 2023) 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
$1,499
$908
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,499 and the ASUS Vivobook S 15 costs $908.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) to be very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) excels in portability, screen quality, and battery life, all of which contribute to an excellent general use experience, with its high-resolution Mini LED display delivering sharp visuals and a long-lasting battery for extended use without recharging.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.3/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and ASUS Vivobook S 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, equipped with a high-refresh-rate Mini LED screen and an Apple M3 GPU, inherently supports better 3D rendering, contrast, and color reproduction for tasks such as 3D design, but it has a macOS operating system which limits the selection of games available.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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 (Late 2023) 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.
By the numbers
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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.
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.