If you require a laptop for high-performance tasks such as video editing, graphic design, or software development, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is designed to handle these with ease, but it comes at a higher price and is less portable. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is more affordable and lightweight, making it ideal for basic tasks like web browsing, word processing, and handling emails, with the compromise of lower performance for intensive tasks and potentially shorter battery life. Consider the MacBook Pro if your work demands power and you're okay with the investment, and the Vivobook if you prioritize savings and portability for everyday use. 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)
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook Go 12
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
5.6/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) excels in general use due to its high-performance CPU, more RAM, superior screen quality with higher brightness and color coverage, along with a strong battery life, making it suitable for demanding tasks and media consumption. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has a lower-tier CPU, less RAM, a lower quality TN screen with less brightness and color accuracy, and a shorter battery life, which could limit its effectiveness for more than basic tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
5.4/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) offers fair 3D performance with a dedicated AMD Radeon Pro GPU and a high-quality IPS screen, but its macOS may limit game compatibility. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 delivers poor gaming and 3D experiences due to its basic Intel UHD Graphics, lower screen quality, and less powerful CPU.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
5.3/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
8.0/10
5.7/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.7/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
11.6in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a high-resolution display and exceptional brightness, providing clarity and detail that enhances the user experience for general tasks and design work, with a wide color gamut supporting precision in color-sensitive tasks. The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has a lower resolution and brightness, which may make it less suitable for tasks that require fine detail and accurate colors, impacting the overall experience in both general use and engineering applications. For 3D work, the MacBook Pro does not offer a high refresh rate, limiting its ability to render smooth motion, while the Vivobook's limitations in resolution and panel technology also make it less ideal for 3D applications.
Battery
12.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has 10 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
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
11.6in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$540
$267
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 costs $267.
"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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the ASUS Vivobook Go 12
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.