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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize longer battery life and a lightweight, fanless design for quiet general use with good build quality, the MacBook Air would suit you well. However, if you require more power for 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Gigabyte A5 offers better performance with a dedicated graphics card and more RAM. The Gigabyte A5 also has a larger screen with a higher refresh rate for fast motion, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life which may impact portability. Both laptops are in a similar price range, so your choice should depend on your specific use case and needs. 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 Gigabyte A5
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.1
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte A5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is only fair.
The MacBook Air, with its integrated Apple M1 GPU, is less suited for the demands of 3D rendering and gaming compared to the Gigabyte A5, which sports a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU that can handle more graphically intensive tasks. Furthermore, the Gigabyte A5's higher screen refresh rate can provide a smoother visual experience crucial for gaming, which is beneficial alongside the fact that many popular games are not compatible with macOS, limiting the MacBook Air's gaming capabilities.
Software Development
7.7
7.0
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Gigabyte A5 are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.5
7.2
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Gigabyte A5 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Gigabyte A5 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air generally has a sharp resolution and high brightness, which makes it suitable for everyday tasks and professional design where precise color representation and clear visuals are key. Its limited color gamut coverage, compared to professional monitors, still offers enough for most engineering and design needs, but it's not optimal for color-critical work. However, its lower refresh rate means it's less ideal for 3D applications and gaming where smooth motion and quick screen updates are crucial.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte A5 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
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the Gigabyte A5 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.2
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Gigabyte A5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$830
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Gigabyte A5 costs $830.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Gigabyte A5 are both good for general use.
The MacBook Air (2020) boasts a high-quality screen, lightweight design, and long battery life making it ideal for general use, while the Gigabyte A5, with more RAM and a more powerful CPU and GPU, is better for tasks that require more processing power but is less portable and has a shorter battery life. Both laptops offer good keyboard and speaker quality, but the MacBook Air offers a fanless operation ensuring it runs quietly which may appeal to users sensitive to operating noise.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte A5 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air is favored by engineers and designers for its high screen quality, with a higher resolution and color coverage that is beneficial for detailed visual work, coupled with the efficiency of the Apple M1 CPU and integrated GPU that's sufficient for lighter design tasks. On the other hand, the Gigabyte A5 offers a more powerful CPU and discrete Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, making it suitable for more demanding engineering software and tasks that leverage GPU performance, but it is heavier and less portable, with lesser screen resolution and color fidelity.
Content Creation
7.8
7.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Gigabyte A5 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Gigabyte A5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | Gigabyte A5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $830 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 14.2'' x 10.2'' x 1'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 4.68 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 14.21" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 10.15" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | AMD Ryzen 5 5600H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 49 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
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."
Gigabyte A5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | September 2022
"Ignoring price, the Gigabyte A5 has a hard time against the similarly fast competition. Besides the loud noise in 3D mode (performance mode), the high temperature development of the components should be mentioned on the downside. Despite the relatively thick case, the laptop gets very warm and loud under load, which does not exactly speak for the cooling system. The plastic surfaces look rather cheap and also tend to rattle. In most other disciplines - be it the input devices, the screen, the connectivity or the battery runtime - the Gigabyte laptop does not stand out from the crowd, neither positively nor negatively. However, those who primarily pay attention to the price-performance ratio will get a pretty good offer with the Gigabyte A5."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Gigabyte A5
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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