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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is typically less expensive, lighter, and offers a higher resolution display, making it ideal for general use and portability. Its battery life is excellent for daily tasks. However, the Gigabyte A7 features superior processing power and a dedicated graphics card, which makes it better for gaming, 3D rendering, and intensive engineering software, though it is heavier and has a shorter battery life. If you value portability and long battery life, the MacBook Air is suitable, but if you need better performance for demanding applications and are okay with a heavier laptop, consider the Gigabyte A7. 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 A7
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.3
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 A7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has an Apple M1 GPU which is less powerful for 3D tasks and gaming compared to the Gigabyte A7's Nvidia RTX 3060, a high-performance GPU with hardware ray tracing and DLSS, technologies that greatly enhance gaming and 3D performance. Additionally, the Gigabyte A7 has a higher screen refresh rate, crucial for smoother gaming experiences, while the MacBook Air is limited to a lower refresh rate typical for general use and productivity tasks.
Software Development
7.7
7.0
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
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 A7 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
7.3
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
318.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Gigabyte A7 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Gigabyte A7 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air's high-resolution display and bright panel contribute to its clear and vibrant image quality, making it well-suited for everyday tasks and professional design work where color accuracy matters. However, its lower refresh rate doesn't support the smooth visuals needed for 3D applications. The Gigabyte A7 also offers good resolution and color range for general computing and precise engineering tasks, but like the MacBook Air, falls short in providing the high refresh rate essential for seamless gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
15.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte A7 has 4.5 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
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the Gigabyte A7 has only fair 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 A7 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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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
318.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Gigabyte A7 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is lauded for its balance of a high-quality screen, excellent portability with a lightweight and slim design, and a long battery life, making it ideal for everyday tasks and mobility. The Gigabyte A7, on the other hand, offers a more powerful CPU and double the RAM for intensive applications, a larger screen with a higher refresh rate suited for gaming, but at the expense of significantly lower battery life and heavier build, reducing its portability.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.6
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte A7 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for engineering and design.
The MacBook Air (2020) with its Apple M1 CPU and integrated GPU is valued for CPU efficiency and screen quality which are critical for engineering and design, but its RAM is less which might limit performance for complex tasks. In contrast, the Gigabyte A7 boasts a powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia GPU combo with more RAM and a larger screen, offering strong performance for engineering software, but it is bulkier and thus less portable.
Content Creation
7.8
7.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
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 A7 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.
Cost
$1,000
$940
$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 A7 costs $940.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Gigabyte A7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | Gigabyte A7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $940 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 15.6'' x 10.3'' x 1.19'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 5.58 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 15.59" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 10.31" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | |
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 | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 49 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 17.3" | |
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 | 318 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 6/10 | |
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 A7
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mike Wobker | October 2021
"In terms of looks, the Gigabyte A7 X1 is certainly not a trendy, slim, and ultra-mobile gaming laptop. But it does what it's supposed to do, namely bringing games smoothly onto the screen, very well. Both the processor and the GeForce RTX 3070 are able to unleash their performance without restrictions thanks to the well-ventilated case. The Gigabyte A7 X1 brings modern games smoothly onto the screen and offers excellent maintenance options."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Gigabyte A7
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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