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Updated January 12, 2024·
If performance for tasks like engineering or video editing is crucial, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is more capable due to its higher-end processor and dedicated graphics card, but keep in mind it is heavier and more expensive. The ASUS Zenbook 14 is more budget-friendly and exceptionally more lightweight, making it a good choice for general use and portability. However, its performance is adequate for everyday tasks rather than high-demand applications. The MacBook Pro offers a larger screen and longer battery life, desirable for long work sessions, while the Zenbook's OLED display provides excellent visual quality, which may be preferred for media consumption. 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)
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 14
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.2
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
8.0
7.3
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
7.9
7.2
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and ASUS Zenbook 14 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
8.3
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 14 for software development, and content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Apple MacBook Pro and the ASUS Zenbook offer high-resolution displays with excellent brightness and quality panel types, which ensures a sharp and clear viewing experience for daily tasks like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design, these laptops provide wide color gamuts, which is essential for accurate color representation, a crucial aspect in professional creative work. However, for 3D applications and gaming, the lower refresh rates on both laptops make them less suitable as they won't deliver as smooth motion as specialized gaming laptops, which can hinder the experience in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
12.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has very good 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
7.8
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
$540
$300
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the ASUS Zenbook 14 costs $300.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.1
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
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 16 (Late 2019) and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.2
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) excels in engineering and design tasks due to its robust CPU and dedicated GPU, which are complemented by a high-quality, large screen and ample memory, making it well-suited for demanding applications but less portable.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the ASUS Zenbook 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) | ASUS Zenbook 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$540 | $300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2019 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.64'' | 12.4'' x 8.7'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.3 lbs | 3.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.09" | 12.35" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 8.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-9750H | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 100 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3072 x 1920 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 90Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 477 nits | 339 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 8.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720P | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 4 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
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Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"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 Zenbook 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | August 2022
"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 16 (Late 2019) 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.
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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
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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.
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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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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.
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