Apple MacBook Air 15" M4 vs ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024, GU605)
The Verdict
Apple's M4 MacBook Air 15 excels as a productivity powerhouse with exceptional battery life (18 hours), lightweight design (3.3 lbs), and the efficient M4 chip handling everyday tasks effortlessly. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 targets creative professionals and gamers with a superior 240Hz OLED display, more RAM (32GB vs 16GB), faster storage (1TB PCIe 4.0), and the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H for intensive workloads. However, the ROG's battery drains significantly faster (10 hours), weighs more, and costs $700 extra. MacBook Air dominates portability and value for general users; ASUS suits video editors, 3D designers, and gamers willing to sacrifice battery for raw performance. For most buyers seeking a well-balanced 15-inch ultrabook, the M4 MacBook Air offers superior everyday practicality and exceptional longevity per charge.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple MacBook Air 15" M4 if…
- →M4 chip delivers massive performance leap over M3 with hardware-accelerated ray tracing
- →16 GB RAM standard — no more $200 upgrade from 8 GB
- →18-hour battery life is genuinely all-day
Buy the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024, GU605) if…
- →Gorgeous 240Hz OLED display with deep blacks
- →Sleek, thin chassis for a 16-inch gaming laptop
- →Powerful RTX 40-series GPU options
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Air 15" M4
Pros
- M4 chip delivers massive performance leap over M3 with hardware-accelerated ray tracing
- 16 GB RAM standard — no more $200 upgrade from 8 GB
- 18-hour battery life is genuinely all-day
- Fanless design is completely silent under all workloads
- Gorgeous 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display for content consumption
Cons
- Still limited to 60Hz display — no ProMotion
- Only two Thunderbolt ports — both on the left side
- Base 256 GB storage is tight for a $1,299 laptop
- No HDMI or SD card slot — dongles still required
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024, GU605)
Pros
- Gorgeous 240Hz OLED display with deep blacks
- Sleek, thin chassis for a 16-inch gaming laptop
- Powerful RTX 40-series GPU options
- Premium CNC aluminum build quality
- MUX Switch and Advanced Optimus support
Cons
- Expensive base configuration
- Battery life modest under load
- Soldered RAM limits future upgrades
- Runs warm under sustained gaming loads
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15" M4 | ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024, GU605) |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.51 kg) | 1.85 kg |
| Material | Recycled aluminum | CNC aluminum |
| Dimensions | 13.4 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches | 354 x 246 x 16.4 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | |
| USB-C ports | 2 | 1 |
| SD card | ||
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 2 | 1 |
| USB-A ports | — | 2 |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours | Up to 10 hours |
| Capacity | 66.5 Wh | 90 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 15.3 inches | 16 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina IPS | OLED ROG Nebula, 16:10 |
| Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 2560 x 1600 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 240Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 500 | 500 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 256 GB (configurable to 2 TB) | 1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB LPDDR5X |
| Cores | 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU | 16 cores (6P+8E+2LPE) |
| Chipset | Apple M4 | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H |
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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 15" M4 or the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024, GU605).