If you prioritize portability and a macOS ecosystem on a budget, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is less expensive and offers a high-resolution display, good battery life, and a solid build, though its performance is more suited for general use and less demanding creative tasks. The ASUS ROG Strix G17, while pricier, is a powerhouse with superior processing and graphics suitable for demanding 3D tasks, machine learning, gaming, or engineering purposes; it has a higher refresh rate display and is tailored for Windows users, but it's heavier and less portable. Consider your essential needs like performance, operating system preference, and portability versus budget when making your 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 16 (Late 2019)
Best in class overall build quality
Good portability
Very good battery life
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix G17
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
8.4/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card, which outperforms the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M found in the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019), and its higher screen refresh rate enhances the visual experience in fast-paced games. Additionally, the availability of games for Windows-based systems like the ASUS is broader compared to the macOS on the MacBook Pro, where many popular games are not supported.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.8/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.8/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is well-suited for engineering and design with a high-resolution 16-inch IPS display with excellent color accuracy, ample processing with an Intel i7 and AMD GPU, but is outperformed by the ASUS ROG Strix G17 which boasts a more powerful AMD Ryzen 9 and Nvidia RTX GPU, alongside a larger 17.3-inch screen with a faster refresh rate, making it very good for engineering and design tasks that demand more computing power.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.4/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
320.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix G17 for software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix G17 has a better screen for gaming and AI, and software development.
For general use activities like browsing and watching videos, both the Apple MacBook Pro's high resolution and brightness, alongside its premium panel type, provide crisp and vibrant visuals that are easy on the eyes. Engineering and design professionals will appreciate the MacBook Pro's wide color gamut coverage, ensuring accuracy in their work, which is similarly strong in the ASUS ROG Strix G17. However, for 3D applications and gaming where high refresh rates are crucial to smooth motion, the lower refresh rate of both screens may not be as satisfactory, regardless of their decent resolution and panel types.
Battery
12.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has 3 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
Good
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$540
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the ASUS ROG Strix G17 costs $1,400.
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is well-suited for general use with a strong CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality screen, coupled with excellent portability and long battery life, making it ideal for users who value a balance between performance and ease of carrying around.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.3/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.8/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
7.9/10
7.7/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and ASUS ROG Strix G17 are both 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the ASUS ROG Strix G17 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
"The Asus ROG Strix G17 is an attractive but unbalanced gaming laptop. Its potent AMD Ryzen 9 processor excels in 1080p gaming, but playing at 1440p leaves the middling GeForce RTX 4060 GPU shouldering most of the burden. The display is exceptionally colorful, which is handy for content creators, but since this is a gaming laptop it would be better served with improved HDR capabilities. If battery life isn't a priority, the Strix G17 could serve as a designer by day and a gamer by night."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the ASUS ROG Strix G17
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
102,795
Recommendations made
22,273
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.