Updated January 10, 2024·Prices updated 24 hours ago
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is the premium choice for those seeking a combination of strong performance for general use, engineering, and creative tasks, with very high screen quality, build, and long battery life; however, it comes at a higher cost. Conversely, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 offers better affordability with competent performance for general use and gaming due to its capable processor and graphics but has a shorter battery life and less impressive screen attributes. Its gaming laptop appearance might not be suited for all environments. Both have 16 GB RAM and are comparable in weight, but the MacBook Pro boasts a larger storage capacity out of the box. Choose the MacBook if you prioritize premium build and display with macOS, the ASUS if cost and Windows gaming are key. 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 engineering and design
Very good for software development
Excellent 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 TUF Gaming A16
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
9.1/10
7.6/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) outperforms in general use due to its higher quality screen, longer battery life, and lighter weight, making it more portable, while its CPU and RAM configuration ensures smooth performance despite its higher price.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
7.7/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in engineering and design due to its powerful M2 Pro processor, superior graphics, and high-quality Mini LED display, ensuring smooth performance and vibrant visuals for complex tasks, but it has a higher price and lower gaming capabilities. Conversely, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16, while providing good performance with its AMD Ryzen CPU and RX GPU for engineering, prioritizes gaming with a faster screen refresh rate and full gaming laptop appearance, offering a more affordable option with slightly less screen quality and overall power than the MacBook Pro.
Content Creation
9.1/10
7.6/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 TUF Gaming A16 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
7.3/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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
9.3/10
7.5/10
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 stands out for general use and engineering with its high-resolution display and support for wide color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, ensuring vivid and accurate colors, and the screen's brightness makes it easy to view in various lighting conditions. Despite its high-quality display, it isn't ideal for 3D applications as it lacks the high refresh rate needed for smooth rendering of fast-moving graphics. On the other hand, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 also offers a good display for general use and workflows involving engineering and design, but its screen isn't optimized for gaming and 3D tasks, as gamers typically prefer screens with higher refresh rates to match the pace of fast-paced games.
Battery
17.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 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
Good
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 both have good portability, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,423
$930
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has a price of $2,423 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 costs $930.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) are both good for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) with its high-resolution Mini LED display and Apple M2 Pro graphics is well-suited for 3D tasks, though its MacOS may limit gaming compatibility. In contrast, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16, running on Windows with a high-refresh-rate IPS screen and AMD RX 7600S graphics, offers a superior gaming experience and excellent 3D performance.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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 A16 makes an excellent case against more expensive laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and the MSI Katana GF76, especially if you’re into 1080p gaming. However, although its affordable, it doesn’t skimp on performance or a robust chassis. But for me, the biggest factor that sets it apart from these options is its incredible battery life. In my time reviewing laptops, I can’t remember when I last saw a gaming laptop lasted 11 and a half hours on a single charge, which makes the A16, in my book, truly outstanding."
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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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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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