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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) offers a highly portable design, fanless quiet operation, better battery life, and a higher resolution display, making it ideal for general use and for on-the-go productivity. It uses the Apple ecosystem and is preferred if you're already using Apple products. The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has a larger screen, more storage, and more RAM, suited for more intensive tasks like some engineering applications, 3D work, and multitasking. It has a more versatile port selection and runs Windows 11 Pro, which might be necessary for certain software compatibility. The MacBook Air is lighter and thinner, which adds to its portability, whereas the Dell is heavier but also offers a larger working area on its screen. Choose the MacBook Air for a balance of performance and portability, especially if you prefer MacOS, or the Dell if you need a Windows laptop with more power and expandability. 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)
- Very good for software development
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5630
- Very good for general use
- Very good for content creation
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6
6.8
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 for general use, AI, engineering and design, and software development, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has a better screen for software development.
The Apple MacBook Air's screen offers a high resolution and bright display with vibrant colors, making it excellent for everyday tasks and professional design work due to its wide color gamut coverage, however, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for 3D applications where fluid motion is key. The Dell Inspiron, while also providing good resolution and brightness for daily use and sufficient color accuracy for engineering and design tasks, falls short in gaming and 3D graphics due to a less optimal refresh rate. For demanding 3D work or fast-paced gaming, higher refresh rates are critical, which is where both laptops are not the ideal choice.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 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
Excellent
Good
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$944
$831
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $944 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 costs $831.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.2
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5630 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 provides a larger screen and double the RAM of the Apple MacBook Air (2022) for enhanced multitasking capabilities, while also offering a higher storage capacity; however, its heavier weight diminishes portability compared to the lighter MacBook Air, which also boasts a higher screen pixel density for crisper visuals and superior battery life for prolonged use on the go. Both laptops offer fanless operation for quiet use, and though the MacBook Air has a slightly better build quality and speaker performance, the Inspiron's superior heat management makes it quite reliable during extended work sessions.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.5
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a GPU that handles 3D tasks reasonably but isn't specialized for high-refresh gaming; additionally, gaming is further limited as many popular games don't run on macOS. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 16 5630, while also offering fair 3D performance with its integrated GPU, is better suited for gaming because it runs Windows, which supports a broader range of games, despite both laptops featuring standard screen refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.7
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.2/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) with its Apple M2 processor and integrated GPU is capable for engineering and design tasks and offers a high-quality screen alongside excellent portability; however, it has less RAM and storage compared to the Dell Inspiron 16 5630, which boasts an Intel i7 processor with Iris Xe graphics, a larger screen and greater RAM and storage capacity, thus providing more power and space for complex engineering and design projects but at the cost of added weight and reduced battery life.
Content Creation
7.9
8.1
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.2/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5630 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
7.9
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2022) | Dell Inspiron 16 5630 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$944 | $831 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 4.28 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 9.91" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i7-1360P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 486 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
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 | 4 | |
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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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Dell Inspiron 16 5630
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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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