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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
If affordability is a priority and you primarily engage in everyday tasks like browsing, streaming, and office applications, the MacBook Air offers a sleek design, reliable performance, and good battery life, making it a solid choice. However, if you need a laptop for more demanding activities like engineering software, the ThinkPad could be a better fit due to its robust build and capabilities usually favored by professionals. The ThinkPad typically offers more ports and better repairability, so if connectivity and long-term maintenance are important, it may justify the extra cost. On the other hand, the MacBook Air will be lighter, granting superior portability. 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 X13
- 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
8.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air is favored for its balance of a high-quality screen, excellent battery life, and portability, suitable for everyday tasks without frequent charging, while still offering a comfortable keyboard and good speakers. Conversely, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 provides robust CPU and RAM performance for more demanding general use, along with commendable battery life and durability, though it might be slightly bulkier and not as silent or cool under heavy workload.
Engineering and Design
7.3
8.0
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 X13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air, with its high-resolution screen and efficient CPU, offers a seamless experience for design software, while its limited ports and average GPU may restrict some engineering applications. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, known for its robust keyboard and CPU performance, excels in engineering tasks but has a less vibrant screen compared to the MacBook Air, which could be a downside for design-focused users.
Screen Quality
7.5
6.9
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
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 X13 for general use, AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The MacBook Air and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 both offer displays with sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing and document editing, making them suitable for general use. Engineers and designers will appreciate their color accuracy, with both laptops covering broad color spectrums necessary for precise visual work. However, for 3D applications, where high refresh rates matter for smooth motion rendering, neither the MacBook Air nor the ThinkPad X13 excel, as their screens are tailored more for static image clarity than dynamic motion.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 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
8.5
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very 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
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.7
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air, while boasting a high-quality screen and capable CPU, is limited by its integrated GPU and the MacOS environment, where many popular games are not available. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13's Windows platform supports a broader range of games and its superior GPU ensures smoother 3D performance, albeit with a possible compromise on screen refresh rate and quality compared to the MacBook Air.
Content Creation
7.8
8.2
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
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad X13 to be 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
8.1
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
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad X13 to be 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,000
$948
$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 ThinkPad X13 costs $948.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | Lenovo ThinkPad X13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $948 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 11.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 2.87 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 11.88" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 8.46" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 8.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 321 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
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 | 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 ThinkPad X13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | September 2023
"The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 G4 has very good input devices, a wide array of security features and ports as well as 5G in the tested configuration. It is more compact and lightweight compared with its predecessor, and it has improved speakers and a slightly better webcam. On the other hand, the fan is more annoying and the performance is barely improved. The battery is worse as well, but this is primarily attributable to the OLED screen - if this aspect is important, buyers should choose the IPS Low Power LCD."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
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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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.
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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.
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