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·
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is generally less expensive and offers excellent build quality with a high-resolution display that's bright and covers a very wide color gamut, which is great for general use and media consumption. Its battery life extends a few hours longer, and its fanless design ensures silent operation. However, it has less storage and memory compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i. The Slim 7i, while slightly pricier, boasts double the storage and memory, which could provide smoother performance for more demanding tasks and multitasking. It's also equipped with a faster processor and better-suited for engineering or 3D tasks. The MacBook Air is lighter and more portable but with a smaller screen, whereas the Slim 7i offers more ports and a slightly bigger screen. The MacBook Air operates on MacOS, while the Slim 7i uses Windows 10, so your preference for an operating system may also guide your choice. 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 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 Slim 7i
- The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2020).
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.5
6.9
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
340.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i for general use, AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the MacBook Air and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i offer displays with sufficient resolution and brightness, making text and images clear and easy to view under most conditions. In engineering and design, their screens cover a broad range of colors, crucial for accurate color work, but they may fall short for 3D applications and gaming where their refresh rates aren't as high, leading to less fluid motion and slower response times. Such demands are vital for a smooth 3D experience, where higher refresh rates provide a competitive edge and a more immersive environment.
Battery
15.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has 11.5 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.
Build Quality
10.0
7.8
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$899
$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 Slim 7i costs $899.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
340.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) stands out for general use with its high-quality display and strong battery life, coupled with the efficient Apple M1 processor that ensures silent operation, making it highly portable and comfortable for everyday tasks. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i also fits well for general use, offering a larger storage capacity and more RAM for multitasking, alongside a good quality IPS screen, although with a shorter battery life compared to the MacBook Air, but with added flexibility with Windows 10 Home as its operating system.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.2
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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 Slim 7i are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air (2020), with its Apple M1 chip that includes a 7-core GPU, performs only fairly in 3D tasks and gaming partially due to its limited 60Hz refresh rate and because many popular games are incompatible with MacOS. In comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i also offers middling gaming and 3D performance, with a similar 60Hz screen refresh rate and an integrated Iris Xe GPU, which trails behind dedicated gaming GPUs despite its better performance compared to typical integrated graphics.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its high-resolution screen and efficient Apple M1 chip is tailored for design tasks with performance and portability in mind, complemented by a silent operation, though with less RAM and no dedicated GPU which may limit some engineering applications. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i offers more RAM and a powerful Intel CPU with integrated Iris Xe graphics, which could better handle engineering software, but has a lower-resolution display and potentially noisier operation.
Content Creation
7.8
7.7
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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
7.5
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | October 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 12.6'' x 8.2'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 2.99 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 12.62" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 8.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | Intel i7-1165G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 11.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 60.7 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 | 340 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.9/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Ted Needleman
| January 2022
"Among Lenovo's multiple laptop brands, the IdeaPad family is decidedly the one designed for consumers: people who want decent performance at a reasonable price. Consider, then, this laptop a paragon for the pickier members of that crowd. With a 14-inch touch-enabled display, a comfortable keyboard, an Evo-certified Intel Core i7 11th Generation CPU, and the latest Windows 11 operating system, the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro ultraportable ($1,199 as tested) is a slick mainstream machine at a bit of a premium price, and quite capable for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i
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.
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 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i vs. Acer Nitro 5 15
VS
Compare Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i vs. Apple MacBook Air (2020)
VS
Compare Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i vs. Apple MacBook Air (2022)
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
123,795
Recommendations made
26,823
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
