If price is a major concern and you need a laptop for everyday tasks like browsing, watching videos, and office work, the ASUS Zenbook 14 offers good value and is easier to carry around. The Apple MacBook Pro 16, although more expensive, provides high performance that benefits video editing, music production, 3D design, and other intensive tasks. The MacBook Pro typically offers a longer battery life and a more color-accurate screen, valuable for creatives and professionals. Also, consider the ecosystems; the MacBook integrates tightly with other Apple devices, while the ASUS fits well into a Windows-based environment. 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 Zenbook 14
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.8/10
7.2/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with its higher RAM, more powerful processor, and superior screen quality, offers exceptional performance for general use, while its larger screen size and higher battery capacity make it less portable compared to the ASUS Zenbook 14 which has a smaller screen and less battery life but is more lightweight. The MacBook's higher quality keyboard and speakers add to a luxurious user experience, albeit with a greater weight and size, whereas the Zenbook offers decent performance and portability, but compromises in CPU power and RAM capacity, making it less suited for demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
6.1/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 with its higher-end GPU and a screen refresh rate of 120 is better equipped for 3D rendering, which is essential for fluid visuals in design and animation; however, its operating system limits gaming compatibility compared to the ASUS Zenbook 14, which has a capable but less powerful GPU and a refresh rate supportive of fair gaming performance but may not be as smooth for fast-paced games or advanced 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
7.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
18.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) offers a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a more capable GPU compared to the ASUS Zenbook 14, which translates to superior performance in engineering and design tasks, along with a higher quality Mini LED screen. Although the MacBook has a better build and speaker quality, and operates more quietly, the ASUS Zenbook 14 provides better portability due to its lighter weight and more compact size, making it easier to carry around.
Content Creation
8.9/10
7.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
18.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 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
7.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
18.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 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
8.3/10
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 likely offers a high-resolution screen with exceptional brightness and advanced panel technology, which provides a crisp and vivid display for general use and detail-oriented tasks like engineering and design, while its wide color gamut ensures accurate color reproduction crucial for these fields. The ASUS Zenbook 14, with similar features, also gives a sharp and bright display suitable for general activities and professional work, but with slightly less emphasis on color accuracy compared to the MacBook. However, for 3D tasks and gaming, where high refresh rates lead to smoother motion rendering, both laptops may fall short as they typically prioritize resolution and color fidelity over refresh speed.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 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
Very Good
16.2in
SIZE
14.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,499
$300
$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 Zenbook 14 costs $300.
"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."
"Users who travel frequently and are looking for a portable laptop are in the right place with the Asus ZenBook 14. The sleek case is extremely light (1.2 kg) and surprisingly thin (1.5 cm). Outdoor use is also enjoyable thanks to the bright Full HD display, which is something that can rarely be said about laptops with TN or IPS panels. The excellent battery life complements this as well. Longer trips are no problem with the ZenBook 14. Another plus point is the high-performance Ryzen 7 5700U, which often leaves the Intel competition in the dust thanks to its large number of cores."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the ASUS Zenbook 14
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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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
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