Apple MacBook Air 13" M2 vs ASUS ROG Ally X
The Verdict
Comparing these devices requires acknowledging their fundamentally different purposes. MacBook Air M2 excels as a traditional laptop with a spacious 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, exceptional 18-hour battery life, and the efficient M2 chip handling professional workflows seamlessly. ASUS ROG Ally X serves as a portable gaming device with a compact 7-inch 120Hz display, more powerful Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor with 24GB RAM, but significantly shorter battery life of 3-10 hours. Display quality favors MacBook's higher resolution and larger screen for productivity. Gaming and raw performance advantage goes to Ally X, though it generates more heat and noise. Storage comes standard at 256GB (MacBook) versus 1TB (Ally X). Budget-conscious gamers seeking portability should choose Ally X; professionals needing all-day computing power choose MacBook Air M2.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple MacBook Air 13" M2 if…
- →Stunning redesign with flat edges and slim 0.44-inch profile
- →MagSafe charging returns — frees up both USB-C ports
- →1080p FaceTime camera is a massive upgrade over the M1 Air
Buy the ASUS ROG Ally X if…
- →Massive 80 Wh battery doubles the Ally's endurance to 3-10 hours
- →24 GB LPDDR5x RAM is generous for gaming and multitasking
- →1 TB SSD is double the original — more room for games
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Air 13" M2
Pros
- Stunning redesign with flat edges and slim 0.44-inch profile
- MagSafe charging returns — frees up both USB-C ports
- 1080p FaceTime camera is a massive upgrade over the M1 Air
- Liquid Retina display is brighter and slightly larger at 13.6 inches
- Fanless M2 chip handles 4K video editing silently
Cons
- 256 GB base SSD uses single NAND chip — notably slower writes than M1 Air
- 8 GB base RAM requires a $200 upgrade for serious work
- Still limited to one external display without workarounds
- 60Hz display — no ProMotion option
- Midnight color is a fingerprint magnet
ASUS ROG Ally X
Pros
- Massive 80 Wh battery doubles the Ally's endurance to 3-10 hours
- 24 GB LPDDR5x RAM is generous for gaming and multitasking
- 1 TB SSD is double the original — more room for games
- Two USB-C ports allow charging while connecting accessories
- Improved ergonomic grips and button layout over original Ally
Cons
- Heavier at 678 g due to the larger battery
- Same Z1 Extreme chip — no generational performance leap
- Removed microSD slot compared to original ROG Ally
- IPS LCD still lacks OLED contrast and HDR capability
- $799 puts it close to full laptop pricing territory
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13" M2 | ASUS ROG Ally X |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Ventura | Windows 11 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 2.7 lbs (1.24 kg) | 678 g |
| Material | Aluminum | Plastic chassis with improved ergonomics |
| Dimensions | 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches | 280.0 x 114.0 x 36.9 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | — | |
| USB-C ports | 2 | 2 |
| SD card | — | |
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 2 | — |
| Microsd | — | |
| Headphone Jack | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours | 3-10 hours (game dependent) |
| Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 80 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 13.6 inches | 7 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina IPS | IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 500 | 500 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 256 GB (configurable to 2 TB) | — |
| Expandable storage | — | |
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | — | |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 8 GB | 24 GB LPDDR5x (7500 MT/s) |
| Cores | 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU | 8-core CPU, RDNA 3 (12 CUs) integrated GPU |
| Chipset | Apple M2 | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Zen 4, 8-core / 16-thread, up to 5.1 GHz) |
| Memory | ||
| Storage options | — | 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wi-Fi | — | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | — | 5.2 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
Explore more in laptops, see all Apple products or all ASUS products. View full details for the Apple MacBook Air 13" M2 or the ASUS ROG Ally X.