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Updated January 10, 2024· Prices updated 24 hours ago
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is typically more expensive than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", but it offers better build quality, higher screen resolution, and longer battery life, while also being lighter and consequently more portable. Its operating system is macOS, which could be preferred if you're used to Apple's ecosystem. The MacBook Air also operates silently as it has no fans. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad is more affordable and it runs on Windows which might be more familiar or necessary for certain software. It also has a slightly larger screen, which could be beneficial for productivity and multimedia consumption, but this also makes it a bit heavier. Neither laptop is suitable for intensive gaming, but the MacBook Air might perform slightly better in tasks like general use and 3D/machine learning due to its processor and GPU combination. 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)
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2020).
Key differences
General Use
7.6
6.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is superior for general use because it has a higher-quality screen, better battery life, and is more portable with a lighter design and fanless operation for silent use. In comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" falls short with a less vibrant display, shorter battery life, and a slightly heavier build, although it maintains a very good portability score and has a good quality keyboard.
Engineering and Design
7.3
6.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is equipped with the Apple M1 chip and a high-resolution screen, which provide strong performance and screen quality for demanding engineering and design tasks, while its silent, fanless design enhances the user experience.
Content Creation
7.8
7.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is somewhat better.
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
7.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
6.4
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Air's screen delivers vivid colors and sharp images due to its high resolution and the wide color support, making it suitable for engineering and design tasks that require color accuracy, but the refresh rate is not high enough for the best experience in 3D applications. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a screen that is adequate for day-to-day use and can handle general engineering and design work, though it lacks the wider color gamut necessary for more precise color work. While both laptops are not ideal for 3D applications due to lower refresh rates, they should suffice for casual use and non-color-critical engineering tasks.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 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
3.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
6.5
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$390
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $390.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.0
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its M1 GPU is fair for 3D tasks but lacks the gaming library compared to Windows laptops, and its screen refresh rate is standard at 60Hz, which is fine for casual gaming but not optimal for high-frame-rate experiences.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $390 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 12.8'' x 8.5'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 3.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 8.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 45 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
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Apple MacBook Air (2020)
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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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marvin Gollor | February 2023
"The low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
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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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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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