If your focus is on better battery life and superior keyboard and speakers, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) excels and is less expensive. However, for a more innovative design with a touchscreen and two displays and if you're interested in gaming and 3D work where higher screen refresh rates are beneficial, the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) could be suitable even though it costs more. Note that the MacBook Pro offers more ports and a larger screen, but is heavier, whereas the Zenbook Duo is more portable due to its lighter weight. Both have similar storage and memory, so your choice should depend on specific features like design, battery life, and performance needs. 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 Duo (2024)
Very good portability
Key differences
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) 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
7.9/10
7.4/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) 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
14.0in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 for software development, and content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
12.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has 8.5 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$540
$1,500
$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 Zenbook Duo (2024) costs $1,500.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) are both good for general use.
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.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
6.3/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
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) and ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) 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
7.5/10
7.1/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) are both good for engineering and design.
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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) to have very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) 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 ZenBook Duo's second screen is like the Apple Touch Bar, but better. Most would agree that having two screens instead of one can really boost productivity and the ZenBook Duo is no different in this regard. It's tough going back to just one screen after becoming accustomed to spacious dual-screen setups. For a laptop form factor, however, users will have to accept some compromises. Firstly, weight is the most obvious drawback as the system is several hundred grams heavier than a regular ZenBook 14. Additionally, colors on the second screen will not be as vivid as the main display."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024)
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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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.