Skip to content
sudopicks
esc

ASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407) vs Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against laptops at a similar price

The ASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407) scores 6.1/10 overall, ahead of the Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro at 4.7/10.

The ASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407) leads on memory and storage, battery life and ports.

The Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro leads on performance.

They score the same on display, keyboard and build and linux support.

The biggest difference is memory and storage, where the ASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407) scores 6/10 to the Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro's 2/10.

ASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407)

ASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407)

6.1/10verdict: good, not the best

The ASUS Zenbook A14 UX3407 is for people who want a light 14-inch Windows laptop with very long battery life and an OLED screen. It suits everyday office, web and admin work where the software runs on Windows on Arm. Developers and homelabbers who need x86 tools, VMs or Linux should look at the limits before buying.

Typically about £649.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

MacBook Neo, 13-inch, A18 Pro chip

Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro

4.7/10verdict: skip

The MacBook Neo is for people who want a light, 13-inch macOS laptop with a sharp screen and a well-regarded keyboard and trackpad. It suits everyday work, writing and terminal sessions more than containers, VMs or long builds. Buyers who need many ports, more than 8GB of memory or Linux should look elsewhere.

Typically about £649 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407)Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro
Performance25%4/105/10
Memory and storage20%6/102/10
Display15%7/107/10
Battery life15%9/106/10
Keyboard and build10%7/107/10
Ports10%7/103/10
Linux support5%2/102/10
Overall6.1/104.7/10

Specifications

SpecASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407)Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro
CPUVaries by variant: Snapdragon X1-26-100 (8 cores), Snapdragon X Plus X1P 42 100 (8 cores), Snapdragon X Elite X1E 78 100 (12 cores), Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E88100 (18 cores)Apple A18 Pro with 6-core CPU (2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores), 5-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine
Memory16GB or 32GB LPDDR5X, soldered on board (not user-upgradeable)8GB unified memory
Storage512GB or 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD; one M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0x4 slot listed on some variants256GB SSD or 512GB SSD options
DisplayVaries by variant: 14.0-inch 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED 120Hz; 14.0-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) OLED 60Hz; 14.0-inch WUXGA IPS-level non-touch 60Hz; 400 nits typical13.0-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit IPS display, 2408-by-1506 native resolution at 219 pixels per inch, 500 nits brightness, 1 billion colours, sRGB
Battery70 Wh (some lower-tier variants 48 Wh); rated up to 32 hours of sustained battery in ASUS 1080p video playback testBuilt-in 36.5-watt-hour lithium-ion battery; up to 16 hours video streaming and up to 11 hours wireless web (Apple ratings)
Ports2x USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C with display/power delivery (up to 40Gbps), 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack, 1x HDMI 2.1 TMDSOne USB 3 (USB-C) port with charging, DisplayPort and USB 3 up to 10Gb/s; one USB 2 (USB-C) port with charging and USB 2 up to 480Mb/s; 3.5 mm headphone jack
Weight2.18 lb (0.99 kg) claimed; PCWorld measured 2.16 lb; sub 2 lb (0.9 kg) on 48Wh battery variants2.7 pounds (1.23 kg)
Operating systemWindows 11 Home (ASUS recommends Windows 11 Pro for business)macOS

Strengths and weaknesses

ASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407)

  • + Long rated battery life, praised by several reviewers
  • + Light, sturdy build at a claimed 0.99kg
  • + Two 40Gbps USB4 ports plus HDMI and USB-A
  • − Low-end Snapdragon X chip called slow by reviewers
  • − Windows on Arm limits app compatibility
  • − Memory soldered on board; base OLED panel only 60Hz

Skip it if:

  • Developers and admins who rely on x86-only software or VM images
  • Anyone who wants to run Linux as their main operating system
  • Buyers who need upgradeable memory
Read the full ASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407) review ›

Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro

  • + Sharp 2408-by-1506 display at 219 pixels per inch
  • + Owners praise build, keyboard and trackpad
  • + Light at 1.23 kg
  • − Only 8GB of memory, and owners say it limits headroom
  • − Just two USB-C ports, one limited to USB 2
  • − Keyboard has no backlight

Skip it if:

  • Developers who run several VMs or many containers at once
  • Anyone who needs Linux certified or reported working on the hardware
  • Buyers who want Thunderbolt, HDMI, USB-A or an SD slot built in
Read the full Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch A18 Pro review ›

More comparisons

Compare all laptops · Best laptops