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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 depends on your needs. The MacBook Pro offers excellent battery life, a higher refresh rate display, and is lighter, making it more portable; it's well-suited for general use, engineering, and 3D rendering. The ASUS, however, includes a touchscreen, more RAM, and a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, which could be better for intensive gaming, 3D, and machine learning tasks. The ASUS ZenBook is also less expensive, while still providing similar storage. Consider MacOS and Windows as well; the MacBook runs MacOS, whereas the ASUS has Windows 11 Pro, which might affect your software choices. 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
- 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 Duo 15
- Excellent for engineering and design
Key differences
General Use
9.1
8.5
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
332.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in portability and battery life, making it a strong choice for general use with its lightweight design, long-lasting battery, and high-quality Mini LED screen. In contrast, the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 offers a more powerful CPU and GPU, double the RAM, and a high-resolution OLED touchscreen, catering to those who need more robust performance for tasks like video editing or 3D work but trade off in terms of shorter battery life and less portability.
Software Development
8.9
8.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 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
8.3
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
332.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) offers a high-resolution Retina display with bright and vibrant colors, making it well-suited for general use and engineering tasks where accurate color representation is crucial. However, its lower refresh rate may not be ideal for 3D applications where smoother motion is essential. In contrast, the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 provides similar advantages in terms of resolution and color fidelity for general use and engineering, but it also falls short for gaming and 3D because its screen refresh rate isn't as high as dedicated gaming laptops.
Battery
17.5 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo 15 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.
Build Quality
10.0
7.6
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 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
$2,000
$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 Duo 15 costs $2,000.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.4
7.8
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) are both good for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Pro 16, with its Apple GPU, excels in 3D tasks and has a high screen refresh rate beneficial for smooth visuals, yet it may fall short for gaming as not all games are compatible with macOS. The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15's Nvidia GPU and standard refresh rate provide robust performance for gaming and 3D applications on Windows, which supports a broader range of games.
Engineering and Design
8.8
9.0
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good.
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
8.7
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
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 Duo 15 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
15.6in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) | ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,423 | $2,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 14.2'' x 9.8'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 5.16 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.17" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 9.81" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 Pro (12C) | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 92 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 332 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
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 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
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 ZenBook Pro Duo 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Jared Newman | August 2021
"Benchmarks aside, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo is hard to compare with other PCs. Its closest competition may be a multi-monitor desktop, or a laptop with an attached travel monitor. The Pro Duo is more portable and versatile than either of those options, especially with the software tools Asus has thrown on top. For a certain niche of artists, media creators, and gamers, all that might add up to something special, even if it’s unattainable for the rest of us."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) or the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 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.
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