If you prioritize performance, particularly for demanding tasks like video editing or intensive engineering software, the MacBook Air offers the Apple M1 chip and boasts efficient power usage and battery longevity, but it comes at a higher price. On the other hand, the Lenovo V15 is more affordable and offers more storage and memory, which could be useful for multitasking or data-intensive work, though its processor may not be as powerful as the MacBook's for certain tasks. The V15 also has a larger screen but at the cost of lower display quality compared to the MacBook Air's higher-resolution IPS panel. The MacBook Air's superior build quality, operating system, and lightweight design lend themselves to better portability, while the V15 sacrifices portability for a lower price point and additional ports for peripheral devices. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo V15
The Lenovo V15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2020).
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
6.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo V15 is only fair.
The MacBook Air, with its Apple M1 CPU, excels in CPU performance, and has a high-quality screen, both crucial for engineering and design work, whereas the Lenovo V15, despite having more RAM, only offers fair performance due to its AMD Ryzen 5 5500U CPU and fair screen quality. Furthermore, while the MacBook ensures high portability, superior keyboard, and quieter operation, the Lenovo may lag in these areas which can be important for extended work sessions.
Software Development
7.7/10
7.1/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo V15 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
7.5/10
5.4/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
231.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Lenovo V15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air offers a superior display for general use with a high-resolution screen that provides clear and vibrant images and adequate brightness for comfortable viewing. For engineering and design, it covers a wide range of colors, essential for precise color work, although professionals might seek even broader color gamut coverage. In contrast, for 3D applications, the MacBook Air's screen falls short due to a lower refresh rate, which is less smooth for fast-moving graphics compared to specialized gaming laptops.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo V15 has 8 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
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the Lenovo V15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.7/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo V15 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
$579
$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 V15 costs $579.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo V15 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) excels in portability, screen quality, and battery life, with macOS integration enhancing the overall user experience, making it ideal for on-the-go users who prioritize a lightweight machine and a vibrant display.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.1/10
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
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo V15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has an Apple M1 chip with integrated graphics, which provides fair performance for 3D tasks but may struggle with more demanding applications and games, especially considering many popular games are not available for MacOS.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Lenovo V15 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Lenovo V15 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."
"The strengths of the Lenovo V15 G2 AMD lie in its expandability of the RAM and allowing you to use two SSDs, in its performance that goes beyond everyday applications thanks to AMD's hexa-core CPU and Vega-7 iGPU, in its good keyboard, and its relatively robust case. In addition, the battery life of the office laptop is also acceptable, and the device stays cool and relatively quiet."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Lenovo V15
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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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.
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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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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.