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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is a premium option with a higher price, but it offers strong performance, especially for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering. It stands out with its stellar screen quality, which includes high brightness and a high refresh rate, ideal for professionals in creative fields. Its battery life is impressive, making it suitable for long work sessions without charging, but it's heavier than the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 and may not be as portable. The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is more affordable, with a midrange price and also possesses strong performance capabilities, especially considering its lower price. Its standout feature is an OLED touchscreen, which often is preferred for vibrant colors and deep blacks, though it doesn't match the MacBook's refresh rate or screen resolution. It's slightly more portable due to its lower weight, and its battery life, while good, doesn't reach the MacBook's longevity. If you're a gamer, the Zenbook is suitable for intensive gaming thanks to its dedicated graphics card. In essence, for demanding professional work, especially where display quality is paramount, the MacBook shines. In contrast, for more budget-conscious users who value a combination of performance, gaming capabilities, and portability, the Zenbook is a strong contender. 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 Pro 15
- The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.8
7.7
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
346.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) offers high-quality Mini LED display, a robust Apple M3 Pro processor with a higher RAM capacity, and longer battery life, making it very effective for general use that demands screen clarity, smooth multitasking, and mobility without frequent charging.
Gaming and AI
7.5
6.7
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
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 Pro 15 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a superior GPU and a higher screen refresh rate suited for smooth 3D visualization, whereas the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15, while having a capable GPU for gaming, has a lower refresh rate which may limit its gaming performance; additionally, the MacBook's MacOS limits game compatibility compared to the Zenbook's Windows OS.
Engineering and Design
8.9
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.8/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is 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
8.9
7.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 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
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 Zenbook Pro 15 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
7.6
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
346.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a screen that excels in clarity and color accuracy, which are crucial for tasks in engineering and design, with its high resolution and wide color gamut encompassing DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, but the typical 60Hz refresh rate is a drawback for 3D work where higher refresh rates are preferable. The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 also boasts a high-quality display with similar resolution and color range, making it suitable for general use and professional design work, but for gaming and 3D applications, it falls short due to its lower refresh rate. Both laptops are strong in general use and professional tasks due to their superior resolution and color fidelity, but for 3D rendering and gaming, where fast-moving visuals are key, the importance of a higher refresh rate makes them less ideal.
Battery
17.5 Hours
12.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has 12.5 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 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 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
$1,109
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a price of $2,499 and the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 costs $1,109.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
16.2in
SIZE
15.6in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 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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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) | ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,499 | $1,109 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 13.9'' x 9.4'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 13.94" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 9.37" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 Pro (12C) | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 18 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 12.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 96 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 346 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.7/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
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 | |
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Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
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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 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 offers a strong CPU, chassis, and display. One of the most popular 15.6-inch prosumer or multimedia laptops out there is the Dell XPS 15. Thus, comparisons between it and the Asus Zenbook Pro 15 are inevitable. Asus has a couple of tricks up its sleeve that XPS users are still missing out on including 1080p OLED and an AMD Ryzen CPU which help separate the Zenbook Pro 15 from the XPS 15. It also integrates a numpad and a few more port options albeit at the cost of a larger chassis size."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the ASUS Zenbook Pro 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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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
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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.
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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.
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