When choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the ASUS Vivobook 15, consider your priorities. The MacBook Pro offers much higher performance, especially for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering software; however, it is significantly more expensive. It comes with a higher storage capacity, more RAM, a more powerful processor, and a longer battery life which can be a key advantage for heavy users. On the other hand, the Vivobook is much more affordable, lighter, and still suitable for everyday tasks such as web browsing, office applications, and light multimedia usage. The MacBook Pro is also known for its high-quality display, with better brightness, color accuracy, and resolution, making it ideal for creative professionals. The Vivobook may offer adequate display quality for general use but doesn't quite match the MacBook's standards. Moreover, the MacBook's build quality, speaker and webcam quality are superior. If budget is not a concern and high performance is needed, go for the MacBook Pro. If you're looking for affordability and sufficient performance for basic tasks, the Vivobook is a solid 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 (2023)
Excellent for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
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 Vivobook 15
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
9.1/10
6.5/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in general use largely due to its high-performing CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and superior screen quality, which delivers exceptional brightness and color accuracy, and it also offers greater battery life, enhancing its usability away from a power source despite being less portable due to its weight.
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
5.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a powerful GPU and a high-refresh-rate screen, making it great for 3D applications, but note that it cannot run many popular Windows-only games. In comparison, the ASUS Vivobook 15 has decent capabilities with an adequate GPU for fair gaming performance; however, it is limited by its standard refresh rate screen and lower GPU performance compared to the MacBook Pro.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
6.1/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is superior for engineering and design because of its powerful CPU and GPU, higher RAM, and superior screen quality with high resolution and color accuracy, making it well-suited for tasks that demand performance and visual precision.
Content Creation
9.1/10
6.4/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
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
6.5/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
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
6.3/10
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering the MacBook Pro 16 for general use, its high-resolution display offers stunning clarity, the panel type enhances viewing angles and color reproduction, and the brightness ensures comfortable use even in well-lit environments. For engineering and design, the MacBook's coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB ensures accurate color representation crucial for detail-oriented work. However, for 3D applications, the lower refresh rate of the MacBook Pro could limit the smoothness of motion, while the ASUS Vivobook 15, despite having only a fair screen, may fall short in both resolution and panel quality for demanding tasks.
Battery
17.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 15 has 6 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 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,423
$529
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has a price of $2,423 and the ASUS Vivobook 15 costs $529.
"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 15 is a quiet office notebook with a strong screen. However, the VivoBook 15 still has room for improvement. Office and internet applications as well as simple games do not pose any major challenges for the VivoBook - this is ensured by the built-in combination of Ryzen 7 5700U APU and 16 GB of RAM. Heat and noise emissions are acceptable. But, the laptop has weaknesses that should not be present at this level: lack of keyboard lighting, a slow memory card reader, no fast USB-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt 4) with Power Delivery and DisplayPort. Battery runtimes can only be described as average."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the ASUS Vivobook 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.
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.