The Apple MacBook Air is more affordable and offers great portability with a lighter design and longer battery life, suitable for general use, especially if you prefer MacOS. It delivers silent operation without a fan, good display quality, and can handle moderate workloads. On the other hand, the Dell Precision 5470 is more expensive with enhanced performance for engineering tasks, 3D work, and machine learning, thanks to its more powerful processor and dedicated Nvidia graphics. It's heavier compared to the MacBook Air but still relatively portable, runs Windows 11 Pro, and possesses additional facial recognition and ray tracing capabilities, further benefiting professional use. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Precision 5470
The Dell Precision 5470 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2020).
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
7.8/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Precision 5470 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for engineering and design, though the Dell Precision 5470 is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020), with its Apple M1 CPU, offers a strong balance of efficiency and performance suitable for engineering and design tasks, but has limitations in RAM and GPU for the most demanding workloads. In contrast, the Dell Precision 5470's Intel i7 CPU and better GPU, along with more RAM, provide robust power for intensive engineering and design applications, while maintaining a compact form for portability.
Screen Quality
7.5/10
7.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Dell Precision 5470 for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air, aimed at general use and basic engineering tasks, boasts high resolution and brightness alongside a quality panel type, resulting in clear, vivid images, although its standard refresh rate may not satisfy those working extensively with 3D content. Comparably, the Dell Precision 5470 provides a screen well-suited for general use and professional design due to its strong color accuracy and coverage of professional color gamuts, which ensures that designs and projects appear with true-to-life colors. However, like the MacBook Air, its screen isn't tailored for gaming or 3D rendering that demands high refresh rates for smoother visuals and better user experience.
Battery
15.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Precision 5470 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
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Dell Precision 5470 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
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Precision 5470 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,669
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Dell Precision 5470 costs $1,669.
The Dell Precision 5470 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
6.2/10
6.7/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Precision 5470 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020), while having a capable CPU and high-quality screen, is limited by its integrated GPU and standard refresh rate, making it only fair for 3D tasks and less ideal for gaming, especially since many popular games aren't compatible with macOS. In contrast, the Dell Precision 5470 offers a stronger dedicated GPU and potentially higher refresh rate, which significantly benefits gaming and 3D rendering performance, making it a good choice for those applications.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.8/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Precision 5470 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) 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
7.7/10
7.7/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell Precision 5470 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 Dell Precision 5470 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Dell Precision 5470 is a mobile workstation that's far more portable than most alternatives. Between its slim 14-inch design and top-quality MIL-STD 810H build, it's one of the best options around for taking professional-grade performance on the road or to the job site. There are tradeoffs for its portability, and users of the most demanding, graphics-intensive applications will need to carry something heavier. But the Dell's exceptional battery life underscores its desirability as the most portable workstation we've seen."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Dell Precision 5470
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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.
Craig Russell
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.