ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025)
Core Ultra 9 · RTX 5080 · 16″ OLED
MacBook Air 13 M4
M4 · 13.6″ Liquid Retina · 1.24 kg
ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) lands at 93 and MacBook Air 13 M4 at 91. That puts ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) ahead by 2 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) if…
- ✓Slim chassis for a 5080
- ✓OLED 240Hz panel
- ✓Strong thermals at 1.85 kg
Pick MacBook Air 13 M4 if…
- ✓$999 starting at 16 GB / 256 GB
- ✓Best perf-per-watt 13″ laptop
- ✓24-hour battery on light loads
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testPerformance
ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025)CPU + GPU muscle for demanding work
ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) leads on gpu (95 vs 86).
Battery life
MacBook Air 13 M4Unplugged endurance for travel and campus
MacBook Air 13 M4 leads on battery (96 vs 78).
Display
ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025)Panel quality for creative and media work
ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) leads on display (95 vs 88).
Value for money
MacBook Air 13 M4Specdex score per dollar at MSRP
MacBook Air 13 M4 more score per dollar ($999 vs $2,699).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) | MacBook Air 13 M4 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | ▲ Intel Core Ultra 9 285H | Apple M4 (10-core) |
| GPU | ▲ RTX 5080 Laptop (150W) | 8 / 10-core integrated |
| RAM | ▲ 32 GB LPDDR5X-7500 | 16 / 24 / 32 GB unified |
| Storage | 2 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD | ▲ 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 / 2 TB |
| Display | ▲ 16″ OLED, 2560×1600, 240Hz | 13.6″ Liquid Retina, 60Hz |
| Weight | 1.85 kg | ▲ 1.24 kg |
| Battery | ▲ 90 Wh | 52.6 Wh |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro | — |
ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025)
- +Slim chassis for a 5080
- +OLED 240Hz panel
- +Strong thermals at 1.85 kg
- −Battery limited in gaming
- −Speakers average
- −Fans ramp at max perf
MacBook Air 13 M4
- +$999 starting at 16 GB / 256 GB
- +Best perf-per-watt 13″ laptop
- +24-hour battery on light loads
- −No ProMotion 120Hz
- −Single external display on base SKU
- −Notch in display
FAQ: ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) vs MacBook Air 13 M4
Which is better, ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) or MacBook Air 13 M4? +
ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 2. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) worth the price? +
At $2,699, ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in gpu.
Is MacBook Air 13 M4 worth the price? +
At $999, MacBook Air 13 M4 delivers a Specdex score of 91 — strongest in battery.
Does ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) or MacBook Air 13 M4 last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for performance, ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) or MacBook Air 13 M4? +
ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) — leads on gpu (95 vs 86). CPU + GPU muscle for demanding work.
Which is better for battery life, ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) or MacBook Air 13 M4? +
MacBook Air 13 M4 — leads on battery (96 vs 78). Unplugged endurance for travel and campus.