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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is a premium device with significant power for general use, engineering tasks, and graphics work, offering excellent screen quality and a battery lasting through a day of typical use, but it comes at a higher price and is less suited for intensive gaming. Alternatively, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is more affordable, specifically designed for gaming, and still capable of handling general and engineering workloads, but tradeoffs include a lower screen resolution and shorter battery life, alongside a heavier form factor which slightly affects portability compared to the MacBook. Choose the MacBook Pro if your priority is top-tier performance for professional creative work and longer battery life with a sleek form, or the ASUS if you're looking for a gaming-optimized laptop at a more accessible price point. 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 (Late 2023)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good 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 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.8
7.6
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 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is equipped with a high-quality screen, superior speakers, and a longer battery life, making it exceptional for general use activities where visual and audio experiences are valued along with fewer charging interruptions. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16, while offering good general performance and a robust cooling system, is slightly heavier and has a shorter battery life in comparison but is a more suitable option for gaming due to its hardware capabilities.
Engineering and Design
8.9
7.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is superior for engineering and design due to its high-performance Apple M3 Pro chip with more CPU and GPU cores, delivering better processing and graphics, along with a Mini LED screen offering higher resolution and color accuracy. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16, while also powerful with its AMD Ryzen CPU and AMD GPU and suitable for design, trades off some screen quality and computing power for gaming capabilities and the flexibility of Windows 11, which may benefit specific engineering applications.
Content Creation
8.9
7.6
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good 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
7.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
18.0 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 (Late 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
7.5
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.
For general use, the MacBook Pro's screen stands out with its high resolution and brightness, providing crisp and vivid images that enhance the viewing experience. Engineering and design professionals benefit from the MacBook Pro's wide color gamut coverage, including DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, ensuring accurate color representation critical for their work. However, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16, despite offering decent resolution and panel quality, lacks the high refresh rate essential for smooth visuals in 3D applications and gaming, which is why its screen quality is less ideal for those specific pursuits.
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 (Late 2023) and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 both have good portability, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.2
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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
$2,499
$838
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a price of $2,499 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 costs $838.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.5
7.4
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 with its Mini LED screen and high screen quality is excellent for 3D work, but its MacOS limits game compatibility whereas the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 offers a higher screen refresh rate and Windows OS, making it ideal for gaming and also capable for 3D tasks.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) | ASUS TUF Gaming A16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,499 | $838 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.97'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 4.85 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 9.92" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 Pro (12C) | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 18 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 294 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
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 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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 TUF Gaming A16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Dominic Bayley | May 2023
"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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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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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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