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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air, being less expensive and lighter, is ideal if you're looking for something more affordable and portable, perfect for general use with good battery life. However, it's less suitable for heavy tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning or intensive gaming. On the other hand, the Lenovo LOQ 15 is pricier and heavier but offers superior performance for engineering, machine learning, and gaming, along with a larger screen and higher refresh rate, beneficial for fast-paced tasks and multitasking, but it has shorter battery life and isn't as portable. Choose based on what you prioritize: mobility and value or advanced computing capabilities and screen real estate. 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 Lenovo LOQ 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.5
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo LOQ 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has an integrated GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate which are reasonable for some 3D applications but not optimal for gaming, particularly since many popular games don't run on its MacOS operating system.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.9
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo LOQ 15 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for engineering and design, though the Lenovo LOQ 15 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo LOQ 15 is highly regarded for engineering and design due to its more powerful AMD CPU, double the RAM, and superior Nvidia GPU compared to the MacBook Air, which is still a solid contender with its efficient Apple M1 chip for less demanding tasks and excellent screen quality. However, the MacBook Air is lighter, boasts a fanless design for silent operation, and has higher screen resolution, making it more suitable for portability and design work where high resolution and noiseless environment might be preferred.
Screen Quality
7.5
7.1
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Lenovo LOQ 15 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the Lenovo LOQ 15 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) excels in general use and engineering design due to its high-resolution Retina display with vivid colors covering various color gamuts, but its standard refresh rate limits its effectiveness for 3D applications. The Lenovo LOQ 15 also provides a high-quality display for general use and tasks requiring accurate color representation, like engineering and design, offering wide color coverage. However, its screen falls short for gaming and 3D use where higher refresh rates are critical for smooth visuals and the Lenovo may not meet these refresh rate demands.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo LOQ 15 has 6 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
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the Lenovo LOQ 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.4
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo LOQ 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,109
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Lenovo LOQ 15 costs $1,109.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.6/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo LOQ 15 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is favored for general use due to its efficient Apple M1 CPU, ample RAM, and high-quality display, along with its portability and outstanding battery life. On the other hand, the Lenovo LOQ 15, while also suitable for general use, provides more storage and RAM, a capable AMD Ryzen CPU and dedicated Nvidia graphics, but trades off some portability and has shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.8
7.6
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
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 LOQ 15 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
9.1/10
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 LOQ 15 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Lenovo LOQ 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | Lenovo LOQ 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,109 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 14.2'' x 10.4'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 5.28 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 10.42" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 60 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 | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
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."
Lenovo LOQ 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | August 2023
"Even after a short time with the LOQ 15, you'll find it has a lot going for it, but ultimately it's just "good"—not quite a star. The performance is respectable for the hardware it’s running, but Lenovo had to make some design sacrifices to trim the price. One of the better aspects is the keyboard, making it one of the better low-cost gaming laptops to actually put your hands on."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Lenovo LOQ 15
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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