MacBook Pro M4 Max vs ASUS Zenbook S 14
The default pro-coder choice on each side of the fence. Power vs portability, MLX vs Lunar Lake NPU.
Option B
ASUS Zenbook S 14 (UX5406, Lunar Lake)
Best AI-class business ultraportable
$1,499
Check price →Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14" | ASUS Zenbook S 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,199 | $1,499 |
| Chip | Apple M4 Max (16-core CPU, 40-core GPU) | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (Lunar Lake) |
| NPU TOPS | 38 TOPS | 47 TOPS |
| RAM | 64 GB | 32 GB |
| LLM tokens/sec (13B Q4) | 78 tok/s | 28 tok/s |
| Sustained thermal score | 92/100 | 72/100 |
| Battery life | 17 h | 18 h |
| Weight | 1.62 kg | 1.2 kg |
| AIPC workload-fit | 9.7 | 9.3 |
Best for
Heavy compiles + LLMsApple
Sustained thermalsApple
Travel weightASUS
Linux ecosystemASUS
PriceASUS
AIPC verdict
MacBook wins on raw compile speed, sustained thermals, and unified-memory LLM throughput. Zenbook wins on weight (1.20kg), 3K OLED panel, and price.
Open chip-level breakdown on AIPC →See full rankings
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