Zenbook 3 is oftentimes referred to as the ultimate MacBook clone. Its design and built are noticeably patterned after the 12-inch MacBook. However, a good number of reviews suggest that the clone is better than the original, at least for this case.
According to Laptop Mag, the design of both Zenbook 3 and MacBook are among the thinnest ever made. However, Zenbook 3 is believed to be 50 percent stronger than the typical aluminum. The Zenbook 3 weighs only 2 pounds and measures 11.65 x 7.53 x 0.47 inches thick. The MacBook is a little heavier for it weights 2.3 pounds and measurement of 11.04 x 7.74 x 0.14 to 0.52 inches.
In terms of ports, both the MacBook and Zenbook 3 only have a single USB-C port which is mainly used for charging. A dongle is required if a user wants to use multiple devices at the same time. This could be a setback, as ports availability is ultimately limited for both skinny laptops.
The Zenbook 3's display is slightly bigger compared to the MacBook. However, in terms of sharpness, MacBook wins hands down. The screen of Zenbook 3 is 12.5-inches compared to MacBook's 12-inches. Zenbook 3 is sharp at 1920 x 1080 pixels but MacBook is way sharper at 2304 x 1440 pixels.
Zenbook 3's display is considerably more colorful covering 111 percent of sRGB compared to 107 percent of MacBook. MacBook's display is brighter hitting 327 nits against Zenbook 3's 309 nits. These are considered the gold standard as compared to all other ultrabooks available in the market today.
In terms of battery life, MacBook trumps Zenbook 3. In tests conducted by Laptop Mag, the MacBook lasted 9 hours and 38 minutes compared to Zenbook 3 which only lasted 7 hours and 5 minutes. This is with both devices used in continuous web surfing while connected through WiFi.
As added by PC World, Zenbook 3 is a superior MacBook alternative. The Zenbook 3 has much faster processor starting with a full Core i5 7th Generation Kaby Lake CPU, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. MacBook starts with low power Core m3 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD.
In terms of the face-off, each has its distinct winning capabilities. One device makes up for the loss of the other. It is more of complimentary more than an adversary. In more ways than one, MacBook still emerges as the winner but Zenbook 3 is closely trailing behind making it an ultimate second choice.
