If performance, especially for intensive engineering tasks or creative work such as video editing or 3D modeling, is a top priority and you're okay with a higher price, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is an excellent choice with its powerful Apple M1 Pro chip and ample memory. It also has a Mini LED display with high resolution, better color accuracy, and longer battery life, but it is heavier, making it less portable. Conversely, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is more affordable and lighter, making it easier to carry around, and has twice the storage space but has lower specs in terms of processor and graphics performance, which could matter if your work is demanding. Its IPS display is also less vibrant and lower in resolution compared to the MacBook. The ASUS might be suitable for general use or light gaming, but the MacBook excels in professional settings and tasks that demand high processing power. 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 S 15
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
7.7/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) stands out for general use with a robust CPU and GPU, higher RAM, and superior screen quality, which together offer a very smooth and high-resolution visual experience; however, it is heavier and less portable compared to the ASUS Vivobook S 15, which though lighter and more portable, offers good general performance with a potent processor and satisfactory screen quality but trails with less RAM and battery life.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.3/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 S 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a more powerful integrated GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which are very important for smooth 3D performance, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a less capable GPU and a lower refresh rate, but it still supports a wide range of games since it runs Windows.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
7.1/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 is preferred for engineering and design because it has a more powerful CPU and GPU, and superior screen quality with higher resolution and brightness, making it ideal for demanding software and detailed visual tasks. In comparison, the ASUS Vivobook S 15, while lighter and more portable, offers less RAM and a less advanced GPU, and its screen quality doesn’t match the MacBook's, which may not deliver the same smooth performance or visual precision for complex engineering or design applications.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.6/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 S 15 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
7.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 S 15 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
6.3/10
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook S 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Pro's high-resolution screen and superior brightness make it ideal for general use, offering crisp visuals and clear readability in various lighting conditions. For engineering and design tasks, its expansive color gamut ensures accurate color representation which is crucial for precise work. However, for 3D applications, its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops means it won’t be as smooth in rendering fast-moving images.
Battery
17.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has 9 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 S 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$908
$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 S 15 costs $908.
"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."
"Internals make Asus VivoBook S15 laptop a compelling option. The Asus multimedia laptop may look rather below-average with its modest black chassis, lack of a dedicated GPU, limited RAM and meagre port selection without Thunderbolt support. But your impression of the device will start changing once you set your eyes on its high-contrast OLED capable of producing deep blacks and highly accurate colours. And your opinion will change completely when the VivoBook is switched on. The AMD CPU can effortlessly keep up with powerful rivals from Intel. The integrated Radeon graphics blows away Intel's iGPU when it comes to graphics workloads such as rendering and simpler games."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the ASUS Vivobook S 15
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.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Laptops Expert
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