If you need a laptop for general use with an emphasis on creative tasks like video editing or music production, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers a larger screen and long battery life, making it an excellent choice for such work, as well as a generally more premium build and operating system stability. However, if gaming, 3D rendering or machine learning are your main interests, the ASUS ROG Flow X13, with its dedicated graphics capabilities, could better serve your needs, although you may compromise on battery life and portability. Consider the Apple MacBook Pro 16 for strong performance in professional creative software and enjoy the larger display, whereas the ASUS caters better to high-end gaming and intensive computational tasks despite being less portable with a likely shorter battery span. 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 (2021)
Excellent for general use
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Flow X13
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
8.1/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
511.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the ASUS ROG Flow X13 is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in screen quality with its Mini LED display, has a strong CPU and GPU tailored specifically for macOS, and offers a longer battery life, which makes it a preferred option for those prioritizing a vibrant display and extended use without charging. The ASUS ROG Flow X13 combines good portability with a convertible 2-in-1 design and substantial CPU and GPU power for Windows 11, which might appeal to users looking for flexibility and gaming or creative work on the go.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
7.8/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both good for gaming and AI, though the ASUS ROG Flow X13 is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is good for 3D due to its high-performance GPU and Mini LED screen with a high refresh rate, providing vibrant colors and smooth visuals for content creation; however, its MacOS limits gaming compatibility. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Flow X13 is better suited for gaming with its powerful Nvidia GPU that can handle demanding games, higher screen refresh rate for smoother gameplay, and a Windows operating system that supports a wide range of games.
Content Creation
8.8/10
8.2/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is somewhat better.
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
8.9/10
8.0/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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
9.4/10
8.4/10
16.2in
SIZE
13.4in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
511.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Flow X13 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16's screen excels in general use and engineering tasks due to its high resolution, brightness, and expansive color gamut, delivering crisp visuals and accurate colors, vital for detail-oriented work. However, its refresh rate is not ideal for 3D applications where smooth motion is key. The ASUS ROG Flow X13 also provides a high-quality display for general use and engineering with a very good resolution and color range, but falls short for gaming and 3D, as its refresh rate may not keep up with fast-paced visuals required in these scenarios.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Flow X13 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
16.2in
SIZE
13.4in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Flow X13 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$2,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,949 and the ASUS ROG Flow X13 costs $2,500.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) with its powerful M1 Pro chip, 32GB of RAM, and high-quality Mini LED display is designed for demanding engineering and design work, offering a larger screen and long battery life, but it's heavier which makes it less portable.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the ASUS ROG Flow X13 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 Flow X13 is not an off-the-shelf convertible. This quickly becomes clear when you take a closer look at the technical specs. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS is a state-of-the-art SoC with 8 cores and 16 threads, which also makes the 2-in-1 interesting as a work device. With 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD, gamers are also well taken care of. The dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q fits well into the overall concept and ensures a solid 3D performance. With the eGPU dock, which is equipped with a GeForce RTX 3080, the small convertible transforms into a full-fledged desktop replacement in terms of performance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the ASUS ROG Flow X13
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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