The best MacBook Pro 16 alternative? – Asus ProArt P16 (Tandem OLED + RTX5090)

If you prefer black instead of gray, AMD instead of Intel, and if you do not want to get a MacBook Pro, be it either because of personal preference or because your creative or workstation workflows simply require an RTX GPU, well, chances are you stumbled upon the Asus Pro P16 already. In a nutshell, the Super Sleek 16 in is a matte black version of the AG Sepharus G16, one of the most popular thin and light gaming laptops. And while it took a while, Asus finally gave the P16 some proper high-end GPU options, going all the way up to the 5090, and also a new display. We did a hands-on a little bit over a month ago. But today, I can finally give you all of our benchmark numbers to see how well the AMD Strisoint CPU works in tandem with the 5090, how well the chassis can handle the performance upgrade, and of course, if our display measurements can keep up with my very favorable but subjective first impressions.Shorten with AI

Asus ProArt P16 RTX 5090 GPU:

The P16 can finally be yours with new GPU options starting from the 5070 Ti all the way up to the 5090. And our review sample combines Nvidia’s fastest mobile GPU with 64 GB of soda but speedy memory and a pair of 2 TB SSDs. OSQ’s bet on AMD’s fastest 6.12-core CPU. And while this already sounds like a very, very mouthwatering combination, you guessed it, all of this juicy hardware combined with the 4K 120 Hz tender molded will not come cheap. We talked about the exterior and everything quite a bit in our video about the G16, the P16 from earlier this year and of course about this one in our hands on preview.

Asus ProArt P16 Body:

The P16 looks absolutely gorgeous and the aluminum chassis can back up the good looks with a premium feel. I would say it’s not quite on MacBook Pro or Razer plate level, but it’s very, very close. The hinge is still a little too loose for my liking, especially considering we are dealing with a touch panel here. But apart from that, you will hardly find. anything to complain about when it comes to build quality. The overall port selection is adequate, featuring the power connector, HDMI 2.1, USBC 4, and a USBA 3.2. 2 Gen 2 next to the headphone jack on the left. On the right, you can find the second USBA 3.2 Gen 2 USBC supporting the same standard and a very fast fulls size SD card reader. When it comes to inputs, the sizable touchpad with the dial pad integration feels a lot more premium than on our sample of the G16, which was a little too loose in a way, and the keyboard is still top-notch. You get some very solid travel for such a thin machine, great tactility, and an overall very satisfying feel.Shorten with AI

Asus ProArt P16 Display:

Let’s talk display and let’s see if our measurements can back up Asus’s claims here. And they can. Well, sort of. In SDR, we measured a little more than 660 nits, which improves quite tremendously on what the G16 and the Blade 16 can deliver. Still 660 is not quite 1600 which is what Asus claims the panel can do. But apparently they are referring to HDR peak brightness since we have been able to confirm their numbers with smaller windows while a full wide image lets you a still quite decent 850 nits. So when it comes to overall brightness results, the P16 sports one of the best options with an OLED you can get your hands on right now in the creator space. Even though the Yoga Pro 9 with its very own tandem variant of the self-emitting display tech offers even higher numbers. Brightness is of course not everything, but even when it comes to color gamut coverage and especially factory calibration, ASUS knocks it out of the park. Shorten with AI

And if you’re doing anything color critical in photo and or video editing, the P16 will definitely not leave you hanging. And that is also where the crisp 4K resolution comes in very handy. As per usual, you also get your pre-calibrated presets for more advanced workflows. And in the ProAT software, you can also calibrate the screen if you have access to the required hardware.Shorten with AI

Unfortunately, the PWM frequency is a bit lower than what you would find on the faster but lower res variants in the G16 and the plate. So, if you have problems with flickering, you might give this one a trial run before pulling the trigger. Response times are also ever so slightly slower. But if you can really feel that difference in the real world, well, I certainly can’t. The panel is also glossy, which I’m personally fine with since I do not mind the reflections too much and much prefer the crispier and punchier appearance and the higher brightness certainly helps in brighter environments. That said, if you are hoping for a matte option, you are unfortunately out of luck with the P16.Shorten with AI

Performance: All right, that leaves us with performance. And as per usual, we did an overview about what you can expect from the different power levels the Met Black Pro has on offer. Compared to the G16, the Ryzen apparently does not need as much wattage. Yet, the Plate 16 still has the advantage when it comes to GPU power with a maximum of 160 W for the 5090, while the P16 maxes out with 120 matching its Intel powered gaming focused sibling. When looking at our Cinebench 24 numbers though, it does not really make a difference if we are talking AMD or Intel here since the P16 is on par with the G16. Shorten with AI

So let us see what the 5090 can deliver. In Fire Strike, the P16 can hold its own against even its Intel powered breer running on the same GPU. While the 5070 config does of course not stand a chance at all, and the Blade can properly utilize the additional wattage here. And the even more GPU bound time spy, it’s the same story.Shorten with AI

Even though both Asus laptops pretty much deliver the same performance compared to Apple and Steel Nomad Light, the M4 Max GPU is roughly on par with the 5070. So, thanks to optimization and driver support, Nvidia still has the edge here when it comes to raw GPU power. Moving over to the real world, and in Blender, a 5090 is still your best bet as well, with only the M4 Max once again being remotely able to compete. Photoshop, on the other hand, is safely in Apple’s pocket, at least according to the Puget benchmarks.

While Premier is a bit of a mixed bag with slightly less than expected numbers for the P16, just keep in mind that Adobe updates their creative applications a lot and so does Puget in order to keep the benchmarks compatible. So take these numbers rather as a rough indication of what to expect. Of course, the P16 is not primarily a gaming laptop, but with the powerful internals and simply gorgeous screen, you can definitely enjoy your games properly here as well. In our 1080p performance rating, the 5090 AMD combination is keeping up with the G16 and plate 16 easily enough. And even in QHD, P16 can keep the Intel powered surface at bay, while the Razer can take the lead thanks to the higher power levels. Once again, 4K is possible as well, even though you will have to utilize at least the LSS to get into 60fps territory, while the 120 Hz refresh rate will ask for frame generation in most modern titles.