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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is a great choice for those who prioritize silent operation, battery life, and a high-quality display with accurate color reproduction, making it ideal for general use and light engineering tasks. Its portability and build quality are top-notch, and the keyboard and trackpad are among the best. However, it's not suitable for intensive gaming or advanced machine learning tasks due to its integrated GPU. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED offers a larger, more vibrant OLED screen with a higher refresh rate, which is excellent for fast-motion content and general viewing experiences. It also provides better performance for gaming and machine learning with its dedicated Intel Arc GPU, and it has more storage out of the box. The ASUS, however, has a shorter battery life and isn't as silent or fanless as the MacBook Air, which might be a drawback for some users. It's also slightly less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight. In summary, choose the MacBook Air for its exceptional portability, silent operation, and superior build quality, especially if you're an Apple ecosystem user. Opt for the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED if you need a larger, more vivid display, and better performance for gaming and machine learning tasks, and if you're okay with a bulkier design and shorter battery life. 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 Apple MacBook Air (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.3
8.0
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
7.5
8.8
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1620
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
600.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
15.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has 9 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
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.4
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,249
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED costs $1,249.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1620
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
600.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.4/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.7
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1620
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Content Creation
7.8
8.0
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1620
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
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
7.7
7.8
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1620
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and Apple MacBook Air (2020) 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 Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,249 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 13.9'' x 9.7'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 3.31 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 13.92" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 9.72" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2880 x 1620 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 600 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
See more
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."
ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED
See more
Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Darragh Murphy | November 2022
"The Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED excels as a capable work machine at an affordable price. It offers commendable performance, thanks to its 12th Gen Intel chip, delivers quality on-screen entertainment with its 15.6-inch OLED display, and can (kind of) get you through a full day of work. Oh, and its special Asus Antibacterial Guard is a nice touch for those who like a clean laptop."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED
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.
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
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