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Updated January 10, 2024·
For general use and work-related tasks with a need for a high-resolution screen, longer battery life and a MacOS operating system, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is an excellent choice. It comes with a vibrant Mini LED display, large storage, and powerful Apple-specific processors. However, it's less portable due to its weight. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, with its Windows 11 Home operating system, is optimized for intensive gaming, 3D modeling, and machine learning thanks to its high refresh rate display and dedicated gaming hardware. It also features a numeric keypad on its keyboard. Keep in mind that it's even heavier than the MacBook and could have shorter battery life, making it less convenient for on-the-go use. 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 (2023)
- Excellent for general use
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Good portability
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
- Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
9.1
7.9
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
292.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) offers a high-quality mini LED screen with a higher resolution, a light and slim design for portability, and better battery life, making it excellent for general use, especially for those who prioritize a vibrant display and mobility. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 provides powerful gaming-grade performance with its dedicated GPU and high-refresh-rate screen which is also great for general use but leans towards users who prefer robust performance for gaming or other intensive tasks at the expense of heavier weight and shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
7.4
8.4
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has a GPU and screen quality well-suited for 3D work, but its MacOS limits gaming compatibility, whereas the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, with its higher refresh rate screen and powerful Nvidia GPU, is built for gaming performance and is also capable of handling 3D applications.
Content Creation
9.1
8.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for content creation, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very 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
7.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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
9.3
8.1
16.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
292.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro is renowned for its Retina display which offers high resolution and brightness, combined with wide color gamuts like DCI-P3, making it excellent for both general use and professional design work. However, its refresh rate is lower compared to gaming laptops, which is less ideal for 3D applications where smooth motion is key. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, while providing a good overall screen for various tasks and sufficient color accuracy for design, is geared more towards gaming, yet surprisingly lacks the high refresh rate typically found in gaming laptops, limiting its smoothness in fast-paced 3D environments.
Battery
17.5 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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.
Portability
Good
Poor
16.2in
SIZE
17.3in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.8
8.6
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 is optimized for engineering and design thanks to its powerful CPU, substantial RAM, highly capable integrated GPU, and exceptional Mini LED screen quality, but it's less portable and has no gaming-specific features.
Cost
$2,423
$2,499
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has a price of $2,423 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 costs $2,499.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,423 | $2,499 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 15.6'' x 11.1'' x 1.02'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 6.39 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 15.55" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 11.1" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 Pro (12C) | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 292 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | No Webcam | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"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."
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2021
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
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.
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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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