When choosing between the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Dell Latitude 14 7490, consider your priorities. The MacBook Air is more costly but offers a better display, a sleek design, and silent operation due to its fanless design. Its performance is solid for general use, and its ecosystem may be preferable if you're already using other Apple products. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude is more affordable, offers more storage and memory out of the box, and may provide better connectivity options with additional ports. It's a reliable choice for business-oriented tasks and runs Windows, which is essential for some workplaces or specific software compatibility. If portability matters to you, the MacBook Air is lighter and may have a longer battery life, making it a good fit for traveling or long workdays away from power outlets. Overall, if budget is a concern and you rely on Windows-specific software, the Dell Latitude is a good choice; if you prefer macOS, a superior screen, and a more modern build, and can stretch your budget, the MacBook Air would be more suitable. 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)
Good for engineering and design
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 Latitude 14 7490
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2022).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.2/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is somewhat better.
The MacBook Air with its Apple M2 processor offers smooth performance for general tasks, backed by good battery life and a high-quality display, in a lightweight and slim form factor. The Dell Latitude 14 7490, although not as sleek, offers a more traditional Windows experience with plentiful storage, a robust keyboard, and extra ports for connectivity but with a shorter battery life and slightly bulkier build.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
5.9/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2560 x 1664
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 (2022) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is poor.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022), with its integrated Apple GPU, is suited for casual 3D applications but may struggle with more demanding tasks and can't run many popular games due to macOS compatibility issues. In contrast, the Dell Latitude 14 7490, while also housing an integrated GPU not designed for high-end gaming or 3D rendering, runs on Windows which supports a broader library of games, providing more gaming options despite the limitations in graphical performance.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is favored for engineering and design due to its superior screen quality, with higher resolution and color accuracy, coupled with the efficient Apple M2 chip providing silent operation, making it suitable for intensive tasks without audible distractions.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is somewhat better.
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
8.0/10
7.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 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
7.6/10
6.7/10
13.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 14 7490 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air offers superior screen resolution and brightness, which makes text and images sharp and easy for general use. For engineering and design tasks, its display covers a wider range of colors, providing accuracy that professionals need for their work. However, the MacBook Air's lower refresh rate limits its effectiveness for 3D applications, where smoother motion is essential, making it less optimal for those specific tasks than laptops with higher refresh rates.
Battery
15.0 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has 9.5 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.
Portability
Excellent
Very Good
13.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$899
$300
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 and the Dell Latitude 14 7490 costs $300.
"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 Dell Latitude 7490's got the speed you need (and then some), a keyboard that's comfortable enough for writing all day long and a battery that supports a full 8-hour workday. If only the display were brighter and it managed heat better. If you need every minute of battery life you can get, the extended-battery version of the Lenovo ThinkPad T480 lasts 8 hours longer than the Latitude 7490, but its display is much less colorful."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Dell Latitude 14 7490
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.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,695
Recommendations made
22,468
Consumer hours saved
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
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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.