Asus Zenbook vs. Macbook Air - a comparison
The Asus Zenbook competes against Apple's Macbook Air in this vs. comparison. Both ultrabooks are particularly light, thin and have a good battery. But both models are not cheap either.
Zenbook vs. Macbook Air: This is the Asus model
The Asus Zenbook is currently available in five different versions, which differ in price, performance and size.
- Display: Most models have a 13.3 inch screen with Full HD. Only the Zenbook Pro stands out with 15.6 inches and optionally even has a 4K display.
- Processor: You have a choice of processors: there are processors from every performance class for every model. The weakest processor is the M5Y10 in the cheapest UX305FA model. In contrast, the i7 4720HQ in the Zenbook Pro.
- Graphics: Most models have a dedicated graphics card from Nvidia. Alternatively, you have to use the integrated HD 5300 graphics from Intel.
- Hard disk: Most Zenbooks have a 128 GB SSD in the standard version, but you can usually choose up to 512 SSD capacity.
- Battery: The battery lasts about 9 hours in most devices with normal office use.
- Weight: Including the battery, the Zenbooks weigh an average of 1.45 kg and are therefore very light and well suited for mobile use.
- Operating system: You get a Windows 10 license for free with most Zenbooks. Some older models are only available with Windows 8.1, but here you can upgrade to Windows 10 for free.
- Price: Most Zenbooks are available for 800 to 1000 euros. You can find the current prices for the individual models in the CHIP price comparison.
Asus Zenbook vs. Macbook Air: Apple's competitor in comparison
The current Macbook Air is available in a total of four versions: two with an 11-inch display and two with a 13-inch display. The two models differ in performance and hard disk size.
- Display: The Macbook Air is available with either an 11.6 or a 13.3 inch display. The native resolution is then 1366x768 or 1440x900.
- Processor: All four models have a 1.6 GHz dual-core i5 processor. This is roughly on the same level as the medium to weaker processors of the Zenbook. If you don't have enough power, you can optionally opt for a 2.2 GHz dual-core i7 processor.
- Graphics: There is no dedicated graphics card in any Macbook Air. In all models you have to make do with the Intel HD Graphics 6000.
- Hard drive: The cheaper model of the two display sizes each has 128 GB SSD storage, while the more expensive variant offers 256 GB.
- Battery: The battery of the 13 inch model lasted about 10 hours in the office test. The smaller model gave up less than an hour earlier.
- Weight: The Macbook Air weighs just 1.08 or 1.35 kg, making it even lighter than the lightest Zenbooks.
- Operating system: In contrast to the Zenbook, Apple relies on its Mac OS X operating system, which receives a free major update every year.
- Price: The current Macbook Air with 13.3 inches is available from about 870 euros. You can find current prices for each model in the CHIP price comparison.
Asus Zenbook vs. Macbook Air: conclusion
Both models have advantages and disadvantages, the biggest difference being the operating system. If you have been working with a system for a long time and do not want to switch, you should also use this system again. The strengths of the Macbook are its mobility, as it is even lighter and more compact than the Zenbook and the battery has a little longer hold. In contrast, the Zenbook has a dedicated graphics card and usually a more powerful processor. The display also speaks for the Zenbook due to the significantly higher pixel density. In terms of price, the Ultrabooks are in a similar class.
If you choose a Macbook, review the differences between the Macbook Air and the Macbook Pro.