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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize a lower purchase price and need larger storage and more memory, the Acer Aspire 5 15 is a cost-effective option. It also offers a larger screen, which can be beneficial for multitasking and watching content, but this means it's bulkier and heavier, affecting portability. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is often significantly more expensive, but it offers a high-resolution display, lightweight design, and better build quality, enhancing portability and user experience. Additionally, the MacBook Air has a longer battery life and silent operation due to its fanless design, making it ideal for extended use in quiet environments. Choose the Acer for cost-savings and larger screen size or the MacBook Air for superior display, build quality, and portability. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire 5 15
- The Acer Aspire 5 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2020).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.6
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 is equipped with a capable CPU and sufficient RAM for engineering tasks, and its larger screen offers a standard quality for design work; however, it's less portable and has a lower screen resolution compared to the MacBook Air. The Apple MacBook Air, with its high-resolution display and Apple M1 chip, provides excellent performance and screen quality for design purposes, while being highly portable and virtually silent in operation, but has less RAM and a smaller screen size which could limit multitasking and the workspace for complex engineering software.
Screen Quality
6.2
7.5
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
275.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Aspire 5's display offers enough clarity, brightness, and resolution to handle everyday tasks comfortably, while the MacBook Air has a higher resolution and brightness that enhances the viewing experience. For engineering and design, the MacBook Air's superior color accuracy and wider range of color gamuts provide the precise and vibrant colors professionals need, whereas the Aspire 5 falls short in displaying the full spectrum. When it comes to 3D tasks and gaming, both laptops are not ideal due to their lower refresh rates, but their resolutions and panel types are still adequate for occasional, less-demanding 3D applications.
Battery
7.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Aspire 5 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$480
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a price of $480 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020) costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
275.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Acer Aspire 5 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 with its sufficient processing power, generous RAM, and full HD IPS display excels in general use, while the lightweight and compact Apple MacBook Air, featuring the efficient M1 chip, offers longer battery life, higher screen resolution, and an exceptional user experience courtesy of its high-quality keyboard and speakers. Both laptops, with their respectable screen quality and portability, cater well to everyday tasks, but the MacBook Air stands out in areas like portability and battery life at a premium, whereas the Aspire 5 provides more storage and a numeric keypad, making it a practical and versatile choice at a more accessible price point.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.2
2.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Acer Aspire 5 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Aspire 5 15 has a fair performance for gaming and 3D with its integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU, suitable for entry-level gaming on a Windows platform that supports a wider range of games, though it has a standard screen refresh rate limiting its smoothness in fast-paced games. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its Apple M1 GPU also provides fair 3D capabilities, but it falls behind for gaming mainly due to MacOS's limited game library and the same standard refresh rate screen, despite its higher resolution and broader color spectrum which benefits non-gaming visual tasks.
Content Creation
7.3
7.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Acer Aspire 5 15 are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.3
7.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Acer Aspire 5 15 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 15 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 15 | Apple MacBook Air (2020) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$480 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | November 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.4'' x 0.7'' | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 2.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.21" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 8.36" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Apple M1 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50 Wh | 49.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 275 nits | 395 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 3 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 5 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | November 2022
"The Acer Aspire 5 15 is a good value office laptop with reasonable battery life. The combination of slim exterior, relatively low weight (approx. 1.7 kg) and 8 hour real-life battery runtime makes the Acer Aspire a truly mobile laptop. The modest Tiger Lake processor supports this area and simultaneously ensures an affordable price point. The Aspire produces little noise and stays cool. The screen (FHD, IPS) might not win any prizes but is entirely appropriate for the price."
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 15 or the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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