MacBook 12” 2017 vs. ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018): Full specs comparison

The following is a comprehensive comparison of the MacBook 12” 2017 and ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) specifications, including details on CPU, memory, storage, battery life, display quality, and other features.

MacBook 12” 2017 Pros

Reasons that MacBook 12” 2017 is better than ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018).

About 59% lighter

MacBook 12” 2017 weighed 2.03 pounds, 59% lighter than the 4.85 pounds ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018).

WeightMacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
Pound
2.03 lbs.
4.85 lbs.
Kilogram
0.92 kg
2.20 kg

ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) Pros

Reasons that ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) is better than MacBook 12” 2017.

Newer manufacturing

2018 vs. 2017

Much faster CPU performance

Intel Core i7-8750H inside ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) has a 204% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i7-7Y75 inside MacBook 12” 2017.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) - Intel Core i7-8750H
4,470
MacBook 12” 2017 - Intel Core i7-7Y75
1,470
MacBook 12” 2017 - Intel Core i5-7Y54
1,457
MacBook 12” 2017 - Intel Core m3-7Y32
1,423
Supports larger memory

ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) supports a larger memory capacity than the MacBook 12” 2017. It supports up to 24GB versus 16GB of system memory on the MacBook 12” 2017.

Max system memory size
ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
24 GB
MacBook 12” 2017
16 GB
Supports faster memory

ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) supports a faster memory speed than the MacBook 12” 2017. It supports up to 2666MHz versus 1866MHz of system memory on the MacBook 12” 2017.

Memory type and speed
ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) - DDR4
2,666 MHz
MacBook 12” 2017 - LPDDR3
1,866 MHz
Supports discrete graphics

Configurable up to Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 8GB GDDR5 with Max-Q vs. integrated

Upgradable storage

ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) comes with two M.2 slots that you can easily upgrade and install an additional SSD to expand the storage on the device.

SlotsMacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
M.2
Onboard
Yes x2
30% larger display

ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) has a 15.6-inch screen size 30% larger than the 12-inch MacBook 12” 2017.

Display size
ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
15.6-inch
MacBook 12” 2017
12-inch

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

MacBook 12” 2017 Price
2017 Apple Macbook with 1.2GHz Intel Core m3 (12-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) Space Gray (Renewed)
2017 Apple Macbook with 1.2GHz Intel Core m3 (12-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$372.34
2017 Apple MacBook Laptop with Intel Core m3, 1.2GHz (MNYH2LL/A, 12in, Retina Display, Dual Core Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB, Intel HD Graphics, Mac OS) - Silver (Renewed)
2017 Apple MacBook Laptop with Intel Core m3, 1.2GHz (MNYH2LL/A, 12in, Retina Display, Dual Core Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB, Intel HD Graphics, Mac OS) - Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$450.00
Apple MacBook 12in Retina 2017 (Newest Version) 256GB SSD / 8GB RAM - Space Gray (Renewed)
Apple MacBook 12in Retina 2017 (Newest Version) 256GB SSD / 8GB RAM - Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$332.48
ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) Price
ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501 Ultra Slim Gaming Laptop, 15.6” FHD 144Hz 3ms IPS-Type G-SYNC, GeForce GTX 1080, Intel Core i7-8750H, 16GB DDR4, 512GB PCIe SSD, Win 10 Pro, GX501GI-XS74
ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501 Ultra Slim Gaming Laptop, 15.6” FHD 144Hz 3ms IPS-Type G-SYNC, GeForce GTX 1080, Intel Core i7-8750H, 16GB DDR4, 512GB PCIe SSD, Win 10 Pro, GX501GI-XS74
By ASUS
$2,099.00
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 Gaming Laptop, 16" QHD Display, Intel 14-Core i9-13900H, GeForce RTX 4070 (Up to 5.40GHz), 32GB DDR5, 2TB NVMe 4.0, TB 4, RGB KB, WiFi 6, VR Ready, PDG HDMI Cable, Win 11 Pro
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 Gaming Laptop, 16" QHD Display, Intel 14-Core i9-13900H, GeForce RTX 4070 (Up to 5.40GHz), 32GB DDR5, 2TB NVMe 4.0, TB 4, RGB KB, WiFi 6, VR Ready, PDG HDMI Cable, Win 11 Pro
By ASUS
$2,059.99
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 (2022) Gaming Laptop, 16” 165Hz IPS Type WUXGA 16:10 Display, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, AMD Ryzen 7 6800H, 16GB DDR5, 1TB SSD, Windows 11, GX650RM-ES74
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 (2022) Gaming Laptop, 16” 165Hz IPS Type WUXGA 16:10 Display, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, AMD Ryzen 7 6800H, 16GB DDR5, 1TB SSD, Windows 11, GX650RM-ES74
By ASUS
$1,699.99
$2,499.99 32% OFF

Availability

MacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
Released20172018
Release Date
  • Announced on June 5, 2017
  • Available on June 7, 2017
-
Pricing
  • $1,299
    Intel Core m3-7Y32 | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,599
    Intel Core m5-7Y54 | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD
-

Exterior

MacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
Dimensions11.04” x 7.74” x 0.14 - 0.52” (280.5 mm x 196.5 mm x 3.5 - 13.1 mm)14.92” x 10.31” x 0.66 ~ 0.70” (379 x 262 x 16.9 ~ 17.9 mm)
WeightStarting at 2.03 pounds (920 g)4.85 lbs (2.2 kg)
Colors
Silver Space Gray Gold Rose Gold
-
Keyboard and TrackpadFull-size backlit keyboard with:
  • 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) individual LED backlit keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures
  • AURA RGB
  • Backlit chiclet keyboard
  • Marked QWER / WASD keys
  • Hot keys: Ten-key Function / ROG Gaming Center
  • 1.4mm travel distance

Display

MacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
Size12 Inches15.6 Inches
InfoRetina display
  • 12-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology
  • 2304-by-1440 resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
  • 16:10 aspect ratio
  • Supported scaled resolutions:
    • 1440 by 900
    • 1280 by 800
    • 1024 by 640
15.6-inch Full HD (1920x1080) IPS-level panel, 144Hz, 3ms, 100%s RGB

Ports

MacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
One USB Type-C port with support for:
  • Charging
  • USB 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps)
  • Native DisplayPort 1.2 video output
  • VGA output using USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter (sold separately)
  • HDMI video output using USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (sold separately)
ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) Ports
Image Source: ASUS
  • 1 x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C over Thunderbolt™
  • 2 x USB 3.1 Gen1
  • 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2
  • 1 x HDMI 2.0
  • 1 x 3.5mm headphone and microphone combo jack
  • 1 x Kensington lock

Internal Specs

MacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
Processor
  1. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-7Y32
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.10 → 3.00 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W
  2. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-7Y54
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.20 → 3.20 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W
  3. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-7Y75
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.30 → 3.60 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W
  1. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-8750H
    6 cores, 12 threads, 2.20 → 4.10 GHz, 9MB SmartCache, 45W
Integrated Graphics
  1. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-7Y32
    Intel® HD Graphics 615
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz
  2. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-7Y54
    Intel® HD Graphics 615
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 950 MHz
  3. 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-7Y75
    Intel® HD Graphics 615
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 1050 MHz
  1. 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-8750H
    Intel® UHD Graphics 630
    24 Execution Units, 350 → 1100 MHz
Memory
8GB
Configurable to 16GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
Up to 24GB DDR4 2666MHz SDRAM
Discrete Graphics-NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1080 (Max-Q)
8GB GDDR5X VRAM.
Storage
256GB 512GB
PCIe-based onboard SSD.
256GB 512GB 1TB
2 x M.2 NVMe PCIE 3.0 x 4

Connectivity

MacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
Wi-Fi
  • 802.11ac Wi‑Fi wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
802.11ac 2x2 Wave 2 WLAN
BluetoothBluetooth 4.0 wireless technologyBluetooth 5.0
Ethernet- Gigabit LAN
Speed: 10/100/1000 Mbps.

Battery

MacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
Size41.4 Wh lithium‑polymer battery-
Battery Life
  • Up to 10 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 12 hours of iTunes movie playback
  • Up to 30 days of standby time
Up to 2 hours of battery life
Power Supply29W USB-C Power Adapter230W power adapter

Software

MacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
OSShipped with macOS High Sierra
  • Windows 10 Home
  • Windows 10 Pro
Built-in Apps
Photos iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Siri Safari Mail FaceTime Messages Maps News Stocks Home Voice Memos Notes Calendar Contacts Reminders Photo Booth Preview iTunes Books App Store Time Machine
ROG Gaming Center ROG GameFirst ROG GameVisual Sonic Studio & Sonic Radar Aura Core XSplit Gamecaster (Free) Android App

Camera & Audio

MacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
Camera480p FaceTime HD cameraHD Front-facing webcam.
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • 2 x 2W speaker with Smart AMP technology
  • Array microphones

Misc

MacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
Security-
  • Kensington lock slot
In the box
  • MacBook
  • 29W USB-C Power Adapter
  • USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)
-
WarrantyLimited Warranty and ServiceYour MacBook comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer’s purchase date. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-authorized technicians using genuine Apple parts. For more information, visit Apple Support or call 800-823-2275. -
MoreVideo Support
  • Intel HD Graphics 615
  • Dual display and video mirroring: simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz on an external display, both at millions of colors
-

Key Features

MacBook 12” 2017ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018)
At Glance
Released in Mid
2017
16:10 QHD
12”
1440p 60Hz
Weight
2.03 lb
0.92 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-7Y75
2C/4T, 1.30 → 3.60 GHz
Geekbench 5
714
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,470
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® HD Graphics 615
24 Execution Units, 300 → 1050 MHz
Configurable up to
16GB
1866 MHz LPDDR3
Released in
2018
16:9 FHD
15.6”
1080p 144Hz
Weight
4.85 lb
2.20 kg
Powered By
Intel Core i7-8750H
6C/12T, 2.20 → 4.10 GHz
Geekbench 5
975
Single Core
Geekbench 5
4,470
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics 630
24 Execution Units, 350 → 1100 MHz
Up to
24GB
2666 MHz DDR4
ROG Zephyrus GX501 (2018) Ports
Nvidia GeForce
GTX 1080
8GB GDDR5 with Max-Q

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