The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is a high-performing laptop with an impressive battery life and a premium build, suitable for intensive tasks like engineering, 3D or machine learning, while also having a high-quality display and sound system. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is less expensive offers a vibrant OLED display, a compelling option for general use and entertainment. It's lighter and more portable, but its performance for highly demanding tasks doesn't match the MacBook Pro, and it has a shorter battery life. If you prioritize a top-tier display and savings, the Vivobook may suit you, but for demanding professional work, the MacBook Pro is better equipped. 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
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
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 OLED
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
7.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1620
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
600.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in general use due to its powerful Apple M1 Pro processor, abundant memory, high-quality Mini LED screen, and very long battery life, all in a well-built design that manages heat effectively while keeping operating noise low, albeit being less portable due to its weight. Conversely, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED, while offering a vivid OLED display and high-quality speakers in a more portable and lighter package with good performance from its Intel processor, falls short in battery life and has less RAM, which may affect multitasking and intensive tasks.
Content Creation
8.8/10
8.2/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1620
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED 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
7.9/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1620
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 OLED 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
8.9/10
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1620
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
600.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a vibrant, high-resolution display for daily tasks and professional design work, the Apple MacBook Pro offers an exceptional screen with wide color coverage, making it a strong fit for these uses. The ASUS Vivobook excels similarly in screen quality for everyday activities and color-sensitive tasks, with its OLED panel providing deep blacks and excellent contrast. However, for gaming or working with 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal as they lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth motion and a more immersive experience in such scenarios.
Battery
17.5 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has 7 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
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$990
$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 OLED costs $990.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) to be good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is well-suited for 3D tasks due in part to its high-quality Mini LED screen and capable GPU, which supports hardware ray tracing, enhancing rendering performance for creative work. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED, on the other hand, is tailored for gaming as well as 3D tasks with its quick screen refresh rate and robust GPU that also supports hardware ray tracing; however, the limited availability of popular games for macOS gives the ASUS an edge for gaming compatibility.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
8.2/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels for engineering and design due to its powerful Apple M1 Pro CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and superior Mini LED screen quality, but its heavier weight affects portability. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED, while also good for such tasks with a high-performance Intel CPU and sufficient RAM, has an excellent OLED screen and is lighter, making it more portable, though it may fall short in GPU performance compared to the MacBook.
Portability
Good
Good
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED 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 Vivobook S 15 OLED excels as a capable work machine at an affordable price. It offers commendable performance, thanks to its 12th Gen Intel chip, delivers quality on-screen entertainment with its 15.6-inch OLED display, and can (kind of) get you through a full day of work. Oh, and its special Asus Antibacterial Guard is a nice touch for those who like a clean laptop."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED
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
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.