If you prioritize a sleek design and a strong ecosystem for creative work like video editing, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 is a solid choice and can save you money. However, if your interests lean towards gaming or tasks that demand top-tier graphics and processing power like 3D rendering or extensive machine learning work, and you’re willing to invest more, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is tailored for those demands but it is less portable due to its size and potentially shorter battery life. Consider how you plan to use your laptop most of the time to guide your decision. 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 speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
8.3/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
300Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro has a suitable GPU and high-quality screen for light 3D work, but with lower refresh rates and some gaming incompatibility, it's not ideal for intensive gaming. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15, on the other hand, boasts a superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, making it excellent for gaming and demanding 3D tasks, despite a likely tradeoff in CPU and screen quality compared to the MacBook.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a high-resolution screen and a capable CPU and GPU combination for engineering and design, with MacOS being preferred by some professionals for its design software; however, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 boasts a more powerful CPU and GPU, which provides better processing and graphics capabilities particularly useful for engineering simulations and design software that demands high performance.
Software Development
7.9/10
7.4/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is somewhat better.
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
7.8/10
7.9/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
300Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
283.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the MacBook Pro 16 provides a high-resolution display and exceptional brightness, making it clear and easy on the eyes for everyday tasks and media consumption. Its superior color accuracy and wide color gamuts make the MacBook ideal for engineering and design work where precise colors are vital. However, its lower refresh rate compared to gaming-oriented laptops means it's less suitable for 3D applications where smooth motion and rapid screen updates are crucial.
Battery
12.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has 5.5 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
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has only fair 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 Scar 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$540
$2,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 costs $2,000.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) boasts a high-quality IPS screen with exceptional color coverage and brightness, paired with a powerful Intel i7 processor and dedicated AMD graphics, making it ideal for general use with excellent battery life and portability. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15, with its top-tier Intel i9 processor and superior Nvidia RTX graphics, is geared more towards intensive tasks and gaming, but it trades off a bit of screen color fidelity and battery life for raw performance and despite having a higher storage capacity, it is less portable than the MacBook Pro.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.0/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 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."
"Asus continues to refine the ROG Strix Scar lineup with new upgrades. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 offers almost everything you would expect from a gaming laptop at this price. The build quality is great, connectivity options are decent, and there is enough scope for internal upgrades as well. Asus reverts to membrane switches for the keyboard — though not as "clickety" as the opto-mechanical ones we saw with last year's model, they still make for a decent typing and gaming experience. The lack of biometrics in any form is a downer."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 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.
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