When choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the ASUS Vivobook 16X, consider that the MacBook Pro tends to be more expensive but offers superior display quality, battery life, and build quality, making it ideal for professionals in design or video editing. It runs macOS, which could be a deciding factor if you prefer Apple's ecosystem or specific software. On the other hand, the Vivobook 16X, with its dedicated Nvidia GPU, is better suited for engineering applications, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. It also has a good performance for general use but falls short in terms of battery life and has a lower screen resolution. The Vivobook runs Windows 11 and could be a more cost-effective choice for power users who need more processing capabilities for complex tasks like gaming or engineering simulations. 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
Best in class battery life
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook 16X
The ASUS Vivobook 16X 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
300.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is highly praised for its powerful CPU, ample RAM, exceptional screen quality, and long battery life, which makes it less portable due to its size and weight, but it's excellent for demanding tasks and offers an all-around premium experience for general use.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
8.2/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and ASUS Vivobook 16X are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
9.1/10
7.7/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
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 Vivobook 16X 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
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X 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
7.3/10
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 16X for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16's display boasts higher resolution and brightness, alongside an advanced panel type, providing a crisp and vivid experience for general use, while its wide color gamut ensures accurate color representation critical for engineering and design tasks. However, it falls short for 3D applications due to a standard refresh rate which isn't tailored to the fast-paced visuals required. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 16X offers a balance with decent resolution and acceptable color accuracy for general and design needs but lacks the high refresh rate desired for smooth gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
17.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 16X has 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,423
$1,000
$500
$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 Vivobook 16X costs $1,000.
The ASUS Vivobook 16X and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) are both good for gaming and AI.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.2in
SIZE
16.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and ASUS Vivobook 16X both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the ASUS Vivobook 16X 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."
"I think the ASUS Vivobook 16X is fantastic. Great performance, decent battery life, good keyboard and trackpad, and a massive screen – just that the screen quality itself is kinda subpar. If you’re okay with the screen, then I think this is an okay laptop. However, I’d like to see a price drop."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the ASUS Vivobook 16X
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.
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.