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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is a bit less expensive and more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight compared to the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023). While both have the same processor, the MacBook Air 15 has a slightly better graphics processing unit, a larger screen with higher resolution, and a bigger battery. This means the MacBook Air 15 is better suited for tasks that require a larger display and more graphics power, such as video editing or design work, but it is less portable and costs more. 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 (2022)
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
- Very good for content creation
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6
7.8
13.6in
SIZE
15.3in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
501.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for AI, and software development.
For general use, both the MacBook Air models have high-resolution screens with bright, vibrant displays, making them comfortable to view and great for media consumption and productivity tasks. In engineering and design, their screens cover a wide range of colors with accuracy, essential for work that requires precise color representation, such as photo editing or graphic design. However, for 3D applications, which benefit from higher refresh rates for smoother visuals, both laptops fall short as their display refresh rates are lower than what's preferred for those tasks, leading to poorer performance in fast-paced 3D environments.
Cost
$799
$1,299
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $799 and the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) costs $1,299.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.9
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
501.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.5
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) with its 8-core GPU and the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) with a slightly more powerful 10-core GPU are both seen as fair for 3D tasks due to the inherent limitations of integrated GPUs compared to specialized gaming or professional graphics cards. Both models have a standard screen refresh rate and high screen quality, but the graphical performance is more suitable for lighter 3D tasks rather than intensive 3D gaming or professional-grade rendering that demand advanced GPUs with higher capabilities.
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.6
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are commendable for engineering and design because they both have high-quality displays and powerful Apple M2 processors, with the latter having an extra GPU core; this configuration supports both demanding design applications and engineering software. While the MacBook Air (2022) offers greater portability due to its lighter weight and smaller screen, the MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a larger, higher-resolution display for more intricate work, along with the same silent operation characteristic to maximize comfort during long work sessions.
Content Creation
7.9
8.0
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) 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
8.0
8.1
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both very 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.
Battery
15.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 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
Excellent
Very Good
13.6in
SIZE
15.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.4in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) both have best in class build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2022) | Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $1,299 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 3.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 13.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 9.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Apple M2 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 66.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.6" | 15.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 2880 x 1864 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 486 nits | 501 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 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 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 3 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air (2022)
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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."
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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.
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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
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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.
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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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