Let's consider your options. If you prioritize high performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Apple MacBook Pro may serve your needs better with its robust build and potentially more powerful internal hardware. However, if affordability is a key consideration and you're looking for a balance between performance and price, the ASUS Vivobook 16X is a solid choice. Keep in mind that the MacBook Pro generally offers longer battery life and a more premium build, which might be important if you work on the go. On the flip side, the Vivobook will be more affordable but may not match the MacBook Pro in terms of display quality or overall performance. Remember that the MacBook Pro also uses macOS, while the Vivobook will run Windows, which could be a deciding factor based on your software 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 (2021)
Excellent for general use
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 keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook 16X
The ASUS Vivobook 16X 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
300.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and superior screen quality with higher resolution and brightness, as well as significantly longer battery life, which contributes to its very good rating for general use. The ASUS Vivobook 16X, while providing good overall performance, has less RAM, a lower-resolution screen and inferior battery life but gains points for portability and a dedicated graphics unit that may benefit some specialized tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
7.7/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16X and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both good for gaming and AI, though the ASUS Vivobook 16X is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is well-suited for 3D thanks to its powerful GPU and high-quality Mini LED screen, but the ASUS Vivobook 16X is more tailored for gaming due to its high-performance Nvidia GPU and the inherent compatibility of Windows with a broader range of games. Both have similar screen refresh rates, but the MacBook's superior screen resolution and GPU make it excellent for detailed 3D work, whereas the Vivobook's gaming-optimized GPU and Windows OS advantage make it the better option for gaming.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.7/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
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 16X 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
7.4/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X 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
7.3/10
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 16X for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro's superior screen resolution, along with its high brightness and advanced panel type, makes for a vivid and clear display that's excellent for everyday tasks and detail-oriented work like engineering and design. Its comprehensive color gamut coverage assures accurate color representation, critical for professional design work. However, its modest refresh rate, compared to specialized gaming laptops, means it's less suited for high-frame-rate 3D applications which demand smoother visuals.
Battery
17.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 16X has 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
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$1,150
$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 16X costs $1,150.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and ASUS Vivobook 16X are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is highly regarded for engineering and design primarily because of its powerful Apple M1 Pro processor, ample 32GB of RAM, dedicated M1 Pro GPU, and superior screen quality with Mini LED technology. The ASUS Vivobook 16X, while also good for these tasks, offers a competitive Intel i7 processor, a capable Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, and a standard IPS screen, but with half the RAM at 16GB and less battery capacity, which may affect prolonged intensive workloads. Both have their strengths, but the MacBook Pro stands out for its larger RAM and display superiority, while the Vivobook 16X brings quality performance with potential cost savings.
Portability
Good
Good
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and ASUS Vivobook 16X both have 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 (2021) and the ASUS Vivobook 16X 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."
"I think the ASUS Vivobook 16X is fantastic. Great performance, decent battery life, good keyboard and trackpad, and a massive screen – just that the screen quality itself is kinda subpar. If you’re okay with the screen, then I think this is an okay laptop. However, I’d like to see a price drop."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the ASUS Vivobook 16X
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.