Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) vs ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025)
65.5Performance68.2
29.8Display78.4
55.3Battery42.9
79.6Portability20
3 spec wins — Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5)8 spec wins — ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025)
InnoReviews verdict
This one is close to a dead heat: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) scores 56.9 against 56.5 for ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025). Pick by the categories that matter to you — Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) edges ahead in portability and battery, or by price.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5)
- Stronger battery score: 55 vs 43
- Stronger portability score: 80 vs 20
- 64% lower thickness: 11.5 mm vs 32 mm
- 54% lower weight: 1.51 kg vs 3.3 kg
- 35% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 4,195 vs 3,100
- Lower launch price: $1,299 vs $4,299
Reasons to pick the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025)
- Stronger display score: 78 vs 30
- 533% higher charging: 380 W vs 60 W
- 300% higher Refresh rate: 240 Hz vs 60 Hz
- 300% higher storage: 2,048 GB vs 512 GB
- 140% higher Peak brightness: 1,200 nits vs 500 nits
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 15.3 ″ | 18 ″+18% |
| Panel type | IPS (Liquid Retina) | Mini-LED (ROG Nebula HDR) |
| Resolution | 2880x1864 | 2560x1600 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 240 Hz+300% |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | 1,200 nits+140% |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M5 (10-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX |
| Graphics | Apple M5 10-core GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop |
| RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB+100% |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X (unified) | DDR5-5600 (2x SO-DIMM) |
| Storage | 512 GB | 2,048 GB+300% |
| Storage type | SSD | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (2 slots) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,195+35%Top 11% | 3,100Top 29% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 16,995Top 38% | 21,000+24%Top 16% |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 67 Wh | 90 Wh+35% |
| Web browsing endurance | — | 5 h |
| Charging | 60 W | 380 W+533% |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.51 kg+54% | 3.3 kg |
| Thickness | 11.5 mm+64% | 32 mm |
| Material | Recycled Aluminum | Aluminum lid + polycarbonate |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm | Thunderbolt 5, USB-C 3.2 (DP, 100W PD), 3x USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, 2.5G Ethernet, 3.5mm |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 6 | 5.4 |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage | 1080p + IR |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | IR face (Windows Hello) |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Tahoe | Windows 11 |
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