When deciding between the MacBook Air and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, consider that the MacBook Air generally offers a sleek design and long battery life, which is great if you value portability and aesthetics for everyday tasks. However, the ThinkPad T14 often has more ports and better repairability, and it's built for business use, with features like a pointing stick and extra security options, making it more suitable for work environments or engineering applications. The ThinkPad might also be a better fit if you need to run specialized software that requires Windows or Linux. 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 ThinkPad T14
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air offers a balance of portability and strong battery life with a high-quality screen and robust build, making it a solid choice for everyday tasks and on-the-go use, whereas the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 provides a more powerful CPU and extra RAM for more demanding applications, along with a well-regarded keyboard for those who type extensively, but it is slightly less portable and may have a shorter battery life. Both laptops have adequate storage and decent speaker quality, with the ThinkPad generally managing heat and noise a bit better, appealing to users who prioritize performance and durability over sleekness and lightweight design.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.0/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air boasts a sharp and vibrant display, efficient processing power, and a quality GPU, making it suitable for engineering and design tasks, while its excellent portability and keyboard are appreciated for on-the-go productivity. By comparison, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 offers solid CPU performance, ample RAM and a dedicated GPU for demanding applications, its keyboard is ideal for long typing sessions, and it has superior serviceability, though it's slightly less portable than the MacBook Air.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
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
7.7/10
8.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
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
7.5/10
6.9/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 for general use, AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) excels in screen quality for general use and engineering due to its high resolution and bright display, alongside accurate color reproduction covering various color gamuts, which are crucial for detail-oriented tasks. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 also offers a high-resolution and bright panel that ensures clarity and color precision, essential for both everyday tasks and engineering applications where accurate color representation is key. However, both lack high refresh rates, which would limit their effectiveness for 3D applications where smoother motion and faster screen updates are essential for an optimal experience.
Battery
15.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has 9 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
10.0/10
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,241
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 costs $1,241.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air's GPU isn't optimized for high-demand 3D applications or gaming, limiting its performance for these tasks, and its operating system doesn't support many popular games. The ThinkPad T14, while having a better GPU suited for moderate gaming and 3D work, still may not satisfy serious gamers or professionals due to its standard screen refresh rate and good but not top-tier CPU and screen quality.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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 ThinkPad T14 compare to other laptops
"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."
"We like a lot about this laptop. It has many ports, with the inclusion of RJ45-Ethernet as a defining feature. WWAN is upgradable for maximum flexibility and the ThinkPad has many security functions. Working with the ThinkPad input devices is a lot of fun, and Lenovo puts in a serviceable Low Power panel. The AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U delivers a great performance and does not drain the battery fast. Fan noise and temperatures are nothing special, but also far away from bad. With the user replaceable keyboard, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a special feature rarely present on most modern laptops."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
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.
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.
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