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.

Apple MacBook Pro 14" (M4 Max)
Option A

Apple MacBook Pro 14" (M4 Max)

Best for Local LLMs (unified memory)

$3,199

Check price β†’
ASUS Zenbook S 14 (UX5406, Lunar Lake)
Option B

ASUS Zenbook S 14 (UX5406, Lunar Lake)

Best AI-class business ultraportable

$1,499

Check price β†’

Spec-by-spec

SpecApple MacBook Pro 14"ASUS Zenbook S 14
Price$3,199$1,499
ChipApple M4 Max (16-core CPU, 40-core GPU)Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (Lunar Lake)
NPU TOPS38 TOPS47 TOPS
RAM64 GB32 GB
LLM tokens/sec (13B Q4)78 tok/s28 tok/s
Sustained thermal score92/10072/100
Battery life17 h18 h
Weight1.62 kg1.2 kg
AIPC workload-fit9.79.3

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 β†’

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