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Updated January 10, 2024·
When choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the ASUS Vivobook 15, consider that the MacBook Pro offers superior performance suitable for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks. It also has a high-resolution mini-LED display with a higher refresh rate for smoother visuals. However, it comes at a premium price and is less portable due to its larger size and weight. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook 15 is more budget-friendly and lighter, making it easier to carry around. While its performance and screen quality are adequate for general use, they fall short for more intensive tasks. The Vivobook has a significantly shorter battery life compared to the MacBook Pro. If price is a concern and your needs are basic, then the Vivobook 15 may suffice, but for demanding applications, the MacBook Pro is the better choice despite its higher cost and reduced portability. 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
- Good for gaming and AI
- 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 Vivobook 15
- The ASUS Vivobook 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.8
6.5
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 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels in CPU and RAM, with top-tier screen quality and a lengthy battery life that make it ideal for demanding tasks and extended use without frequent charging, though its higher weight impacts portability. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 15 has moderate CPU and RAM capabilities, satisfactory screen and speaker quality, and a lighter build that aids in portability, but its shorter battery life might necessitate more frequent charging, which can be inconvenient for users on the go.
Gaming and AI
7.5
5.9
6.2/10
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 (Late 2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 is better suited for 3D tasks due to its stronger GPU and higher screen refresh rate, enhancing visual performance and smoothness. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook 15, with its fair gaming capabilities, suffers from a less powerful GPU and a standard refresh rate screen but is compatible with more games because its Windows operating system supports a larger game library compared to MacOS.
Engineering and Design
8.9
6.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
18.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) features a powerful CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and high screen quality, making it excellent for demanding engineering and design tasks. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 15, with more modest CPU and RAM, lower screen quality, and less capable GPU, offers a fair performance for engineering and design purposes at a more approachable price point and slightly better portability.
Content Creation
8.9
6.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
18.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good 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
6.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
18.0 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 (Late 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
6.3
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.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a high-resolution display that offers vivid colors and excellent brightness, making it ideal for general use and professional engineering and design work due to its wide color gamut support. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 15's screen, while suitable for everyday tasks with its fair resolution and brightness, doesn't quite match up to the MacBook's finer image detail or color accuracy which is crucial for detailed engineering and graphic design. For 3D applications, the MacBook Pro falls short with a lower refresh rate, which is less optimal for the smooth rendering of fast-paced visuals compared to laptops designed with high refresh rate displays.
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
7.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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
$2,499
$529
$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 Vivobook 15 costs $529.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Vivobook 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the ASUS Vivobook 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) | ASUS Vivobook 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,499 | $529 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 14.2'' x 9.2'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 9.15" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 Pro (12C) | Intel i3-1215U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 18 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 42 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 250 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
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 Vivobook 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck, | April 2022
"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 (Late 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.
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