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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a lower price and still need good performance for general use as well as excellent portability, the Apple MacBook Air could be for you, plus it operates quietly without fans. However, it has less power for tasks that need a high-end processor and graphics like 3D modeling, machine learning, or intensive engineering software. On the other hand, the Dell Precision 5470 is more expensive and slightly heavier, but offers better performance for engineering tasks, has a more powerful GPU for 3D and machine learning applications, and comes with twice the RAM for multitasking. Neither is suited for intensive gaming despite the Dell's dedicated graphics, and both have similar battery life and screen size, with high-quality displays for general use. 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
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Precision 5470
- The Dell Precision 5470 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2022).
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6
7.3
13.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Dell Precision 5470 for general use, engineering and design, and software development.
For general use, the MacBook Air's higher resolution and brightness, along with its panel type, deliver crisp text and vibrant visuals, while the Dell Precision's comparable attributes offer clarity but at a slightly reduced level. In engineering and design, the MacBook's wider color gamut ensures that professionals can see more accurate and vivid colors, an aspect where the Dell Precision performs well but doesn't shine as brightly. However, for 3D requirements, the Dell Precision and MacBook Air both fall short, as neither is designed with the high refresh rates needed for smooth rendering and animation critical in 3D environments.
Battery
15.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Precision 5470 has 9 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
3.2 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Dell Precision 5470 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Precision 5470 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$849
$1,669
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $849 and the Dell Precision 5470 costs $1,669.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.7
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Dell Precision 5470 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022), with its Apple M2 CPU, 8 GB RAM, and high-resolution screen, offers a balance of performance and portability with its lightweight design and silent, fanless operation, making it suitable for general use with good battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.7
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Precision 5470 and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Precision 5470 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications than the Apple MacBook Air (2022) due to its Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU, which is more capable than the Apple M2's integrated graphics for such tasks. Both have similar screen refresh rates, but the Dell's superior GPU and Windows operating system, which supports a wider range of games, give it an advantage.
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.8
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Precision 5470 and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.9
7.8
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Dell Precision 5470 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.
Software Development
8.0
7.7
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be very good for software development, while the Dell Precision 5470 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 Precision 5470 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2022) | Dell Precision 5470 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$849 | $1,669 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 12.2'' x 8.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 3.26 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 12.22" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 8.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.6" | 14" | |
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 | 500 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 8.4/10 | |
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 | 10/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 4 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air (2022)
See more
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."
Dell Precision 5470
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Brian Westover | August 2022
"The Dell Precision 5470 is a mobile workstation that's far more portable than most alternatives. Between its slim 14-inch design and top-quality MIL-STD 810H build, it's one of the best options around for taking professional-grade performance on the road or to the job site. There are tradeoffs for its portability, and users of the most demanding, graphics-intensive applications will need to carry something heavier. But the Dell's exceptional battery life underscores its desirability as the most portable workstation we've seen."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Dell Precision 5470
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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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.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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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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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