The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers higher performance suitable for intensive tasks like video editing, 3D work, or software development, thanks to its powerful chip and high-quality display. It also boasts long battery life, but it comes with a premium price tag and is heavier, making it less ideal for frequent travel. The ASUS Vivobook 16, on the other hand, is more affordable and lighter, which is convenient for portability. However, it typically offers modest performance that's fine for everyday use but may struggle with demanding applications. If budget and portability are priorities, the Vivobook could serve well for general tasks, but if your work requires a lot of power and you're willing to invest more, the MacBook Pro might be the better choice despite its added weight. 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
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
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 Vivobook 16
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
7.6/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
295.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a stronger CPU, more RAM, and a higher-quality screen, contributing to its very good suitability for general use; it also has a long battery life but is less portable and heavier than the ASUS Vivobook 16, which offers good general performance with adequate storage and fair keyboard quality, though its lesser screen quality and shorter battery life reflect its trade-offs.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.3/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a powerful GPU and high screen refresh rate which are critical for 3D rendering, but it may not support many popular games due to macOS restrictions. The ASUS Vivobook 16 has a less capable integrated GPU suitable for lightweight gaming and may struggle with intensive 3D work, but it offers compatibility with a wider range of games on its Windows platform.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
7.0/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in engineering and design due to its high-performance CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and superior mini LED screen quality, whereas the ASUS Vivobook 16, with a capable CPU, good RAM, and quality IPS display, offers a solid option that is more portable due to its lighter design. Additionally, while the MacBook Pro boasts better speaker and keyboard quality, the Vivobook 16 is quieter in operation, making it a more discreet choice in noise-sensitive environments.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.5/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 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
8.9/10
7.3/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 is good.
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
6.4/10
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
295.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Apple MacBook Pro's high-resolution, bright display with accurate colors offers a more pleasant and clear viewing experience compared to the ASUS Vivobook, which has a decent display but might not be as sharp or vivid. When it comes to engineering and design, the MacBook Pro shines with its wide color coverage, providing richer and more precise colors for professional work, while the Vivobook's color gamut may be serviceable but less ideal for color-critical tasks. For 3D applications where smooth motion is key, the Vivobook's lower refresh rate could lead to less fluid visuals, a limitation not as prominent in general use or engineering tasks where this trait is less pivotal.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 16 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$668
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,949 and the ASUS Vivobook 16 costs $668.
"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."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, Yannick Khong | May 2023
"The ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023) is a budget Windows laptop. It's available with various AMD Ryzen 5000 and 7000 U-series CPUs and integrated graphics. You can only get 8GB of RAM; however, there's an empty SO-DIMM slot if you want to upgrade it. It has an FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 16:10 IPS display, a full-size keyboard with a Numpad, a 720p webcam, and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity. Ports include three USB-As, one USB-C, an HDMI, and a headphone jack. The USB-C supports charging but no video output."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the ASUS Vivobook 16
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
102,795
Recommendations made
22,273
Consumer hours saved
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
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.
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.