The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) offers robust performance, a larger screen, and a longer battery life, which is ideal for intensive tasks like video editing and 3D design, though it is more expensive and less portable. On the other hand, the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is more affordable and portable, with slightly better performance for 3D and machine learning due to higher RAM, it has a smaller OLED touchscreen and is also suitable for gaming. Consider your budget, need for portability, type of use, and preference for operating systems when making your 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
Good for gaming and AI
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 ZenBook Pro 14 Duo
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023).
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
6.7/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is tailored for 3D work with its high-quality Mini-LED display and powerful GPU, which are well-suited for rendering and modeling tasks, although its operating system limits the availability of popular games. In contrast, the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo also excels in 3D as well as gaming, sporting a high refresh rate OLED display and a strong GPU, which, coupled with a gaming-compatible operating system, provides a broad range of gaming options.
Software Development
8.9/10
8.2/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is somewhat better.
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
8.6/10
16.2in
SIZE
14.5in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
357.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 excels in general use and engineering design due to its high-resolution display, exceptional brightness, and wide color gamuts, supporting vivid and accurate colors for detailed work. The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo also offers a crisp, bright screen with strong color representation, making it quite suitable for these tasks, although its dual-screen setup may be more beneficial for multitasking rather than outright screen quality. However, both laptops are lacking for 3D applications as their screens don't prioritize high refresh rates, which are essential for smooth motion rendering in gaming and 3D modeling.
Battery
17.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo 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
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,423
$1,299
$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 ZenBook Pro 14 Duo costs $1,299.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) to be excellent for general use, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) delivers strong performance for general use with its Apple M2 Pro processor and sufficient RAM, while the high-quality Mini LED display enhances viewing experiences. In contrast, the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo, with its Intel i7 processor and double the RAM, offers great multitasking capabilities and an OLED touchscreen which might be beneficial for creative users; however, it falls short on battery life compared to the MacBook and is less portable due to a shorter battery life. Both laptops have good screen quality, but the MacBook has an edge in battery life and portability, while the ZenBook has a touchscreen and more RAM.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
8.5/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) boasts a powerful Apple M2 Pro CPU and GPU for demanding tasks, with a high-resolution Mini LED screen providing exceptional color accuracy and clarity, and offers superior battery life, making it well-suited for prolonged work sessions in engineering and design, though it is heavier and less portable than some competitors.
Content Creation
9.1/10
8.6/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) to be excellent for content creation, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.2in
SIZE
14.5in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) 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 ZenBook Pro 14 Duo 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 Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED is a well-tuned instrument for content creators, excelling at a range of general office tasks as well as tasks that require a little more grunt like encoding and 3D rendering. The big attraction is the laptop’s dual displays. They’re the best ones we’ve used in an Asus Zenbook Duo laptop to date with a spate of year-on-year improvements that make the visuals more striking and the cross-screen integration easier than ever before."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo
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.
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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.