The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers superior performance for intensive tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, and engineering, with a higher capacity battery and a larger display that's of higher quality, making it a better choice for professionals who need powerful computing resources and those who prioritize display brilliance. However, it's heavier and less portable, so it's less ideal for on-the-go use. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook 14X is more affordable and lighter, thus more portable, but falls short in battery life and is less equipped for demanding software applications, although it still offers a good quality display suitable for general use and casual gaming. If budget permits and you need a robust machine for heavy-duty work and favor long battery life and an exceptional screen, the MacBook Pro is suitable; if you prioritize saving money and portability with decent performance for everyday tasks, the Zenbook 14X may be the better choice. 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 Zenbook 14X
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
7.6/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers high performance with its Apple M1 Pro processor and ample RAM, a high-quality Mini LED screen, and a long battery life, making it very suitable for general use despite its higher weight and size affecting portability. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook 14X, while more portable and offering a good quality OLED screen, packs less power with an Intel i7 processor and half the RAM, and has a shorter battery life, making it good but less optimal for demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
7.7/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) outperforms the ASUS Zenbook 14X in engineering and design due to its more powerful M1 Pro CPU and GPU, which are better suited for demanding tasks, and its superior screen quality with higher brightness and contrast. Additionally, the MacBook has considerably more RAM. However, the Zenbook 14X is more portable due to its lighter weight and smaller size, and still offers good performance with an Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU as well as an OLED screen, but has less RAM which may limit its multitasking capabilities.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.6/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X 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
7.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X 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
8.3/10
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 14X for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 excels in screen quality for general use and engineering due to its high resolution, bright display, and wide color gamut, which ensures crisp visuals and accurate color representation crucial for detailed design work. However, its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops makes it less ideal for 3D applications where smooth motion is key. The ASUS Zenbook 14X, while also providing a high-resolution and bright display for general and engineering use, falls short for gaming and 3D due to a lower refresh rate, which can hinder the fluidity of motion in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
17.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 14X has 5.5 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook 14X 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
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$777
$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 Zenbook 14X costs $777.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) to be good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the ASUS Zenbook 14X 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."
"With the Zenbook 14X, Asus has a 14-incher in its range that is - mostly - a joy to use. First, there is the colorful OLED panel with 3K resolution that displays the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces. The Zenbook is also at the forefront in terms of workmanship, input devices and connections with 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports and a generous keyboard layout. A pleasure to use, the Zenbook 14X is a solid, very well-built subnotebook that sits well on the table. A runtime of five hours, however, is below average for a high-end subnotebook nowadays. The OLED screensaver causes increased power consumption when in idle mode."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the ASUS Zenbook 14X
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.