When choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the ASUS Zenbook 14, consider how much you value performance and build quality compared to cost and portability. The MacBook Pro offers high performance with a premium build, ideal for demanding tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, and software development. However, it is significantly more expensive. The Zenbook 14 is more affordable and lighter, making it easier to carry around, but it may not handle intensive tasks as smoothly as the MacBook Pro. For general use such as web browsing, office applications, and media consumption, the Zenbook is a cost-effective choice, while the MacBook Pro is better suited for professionals who need top-tier power and are prepared to invest more. 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
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 14
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 with its superior CPU performance, exceptional screen quality, and remarkable battery life is more suitable for a variety of demanding tasks, hence its good rating for general use. While the ASUS Zenbook 14 offers portability and a high-resolution OLED screen, its lower battery life and less effective heat management result in a fair general use rating.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.1/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its powerful 10-core GPU and a high screen refresh rate, is well-suited for 3D applications. Comparatively, the ASUS Zenbook 14, featuring an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and a lesser screen refresh rate, offers fair performance for both gaming and 3D tasks, but has limitations for gaming due to the less compatibility of many popular games on its Windows operating system.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) excels in engineering and design use due to its powerful Apple M3 processor with integrated 10-core GPU, excellent screen quality with high brightness and color accuracy, and MacOS which is preferred by many professionals for its stability and software ecosystem.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 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
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 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
8.3/10
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 features a high-resolution display with excellent brightness and color accuracy, ensuring crisp and vibrant visuals for general use and precise colors vital for engineering and design tasks. The ASUS Zenbook 14 also boasts a high-quality display with strong color representation, making it suitable for everyday tasks and professional design work. However, due to lower refresh rates, both laptops are less optimal for 3D applications and gaming, where smoother motion and faster screen updates are essential.
Battery
17.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 14 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,499
$300
$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 Zenbook 14 costs $300.
"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."
"Users who travel frequently and are looking for a portable laptop are in the right place with the Asus ZenBook 14. The sleek case is extremely light (1.2 kg) and surprisingly thin (1.5 cm). Outdoor use is also enjoyable thanks to the bright Full HD display, which is something that can rarely be said about laptops with TN or IPS panels. The excellent battery life complements this as well. Longer trips are no problem with the ZenBook 14. Another plus point is the high-performance Ryzen 7 5700U, which often leaves the Intel competition in the dust thanks to its large number of cores."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) or the ASUS Zenbook 14
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.
Jason Lew
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.