A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
For better performance in tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering, the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R is the superior choice with its high-end processor and dedicated graphics card. However, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for constant travel. Conversely, the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is more portable and offers a higher battery life, suitable for general use and travel, but it may not perform as well in intensive tasks. Additionally, the MacBook Air tends to be less expensive than the Mech-15 G3R. Consider your primary usage; if portability and battery are priorities and you engage in everyday computing tasks, the MacBook Air is suitable, but if your work involves graphics-intensive applications, the Mech-15 G3R might be the better investment. 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
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is appreciated for its lightweight design and long battery life, paired with the efficient Apple M1 chip and high-quality display, making it highly portable and suitable for daily tasks. The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R, while offering more storage and ram, a powerful Intel CPU, and superior screen refresh rate, is less portable due to its additional weight and shorter battery life, but its high-end GPU makes it better suited for tasks that require more graphical power.
Gaming and AI
6.2
8.7
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a less powerful GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, which accounts for its fair 3D performance, while the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R boasts a high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a much higher refresh rate, making it very good for gaming and 3D applications. Additionally, the MacBook Air operates on macOS, which does not support many popular games, unlike the Mech-15 G3R that runs Windows, offering a broader gaming library.
Engineering and Design
7.3
8.7
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is appreciated for its efficient Apple M1 CPU and integrated GPU, making it suitable for engineering and design, yet its lighter weight and fanless operation offer better portability and quieter performance. On the other hand, the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R boasts a more powerful Intel CPU, a higher-end Nvidia GPU, and double the RAM, offering enhanced performance for more demanding engineering and design tasks at the expense of increased weight and size, which affects portability.
Content Creation
7.8
8.4
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R is 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.
Screen Quality
7.5
8.4
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Air's screen, with its high resolution and brightness, is great for everyday tasks and seeing fine details in designs, but its lack of a high refresh rate makes it less ideal for 3D applications which benefit from smoother motion. The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R's screen excels in color accuracy and range, making it superior for engineering and design work where precise color representation is crucial. However, despite its very good resolution and panel quality, gamers and 3D designers may find the refresh rate lacking for the fluid visuals they typically require.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R has 6.5 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
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.8
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$2,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R costs $2,400.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Software Development
7.7
8.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R to be very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $2,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 14.2'' x 10'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 4.68 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 10.03" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 94 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
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."
Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R
See more
Dig into reviews and images
WePC
Aaron Ritchie | September 2022
"Everything considered, the XMG Neo 15 (Mech-15 G3R) with RTX 3070 Ti is a great gaming performer. The combination of the Ti graphics card with the new Intel 12th gen CPU is enough to go toe-to-toe, and even slightly pull ahead of the RTX 3080 in most titles, though on games with Ray-Tracing enabled, particularly with graphics set to the maximum and on higher resolutions, the additional VRAM of the RTX 3080 makes a big impact, and the 8GB RTX 3070 Ti machine simply can’t compete, even with the more powerful processor."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R
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 Eluktronics
Eluktronics is a relatively new American gaming laptop company, founded in 2011. They are a reseller for the Taiwanese brand Clevo, who manufacture laptops exclusively and ship them to resellers like Eluktronics who customize them. Eluktronics laptops generally have great hardware specifications for the money, including the CPU, GPU, and RAM. They also feature a relatively clean design by gaming laptop standards, with few logos and discreet colors.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Apple MacBook Air (2020) vs. LG Ultra 16
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Air (2020) vs. ASUS TUF Gaming F17
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Air (2020) vs. Dell G15 5520
VS
Compare Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R vs. Razer Blade 14 (2023)
VS
Compare Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R vs. Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
VS
Compare Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R vs. Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,695
Recommendations made
22,468
Consumer hours saved
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.
Featured in
