The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is a more expensive option but provides better general use and engineering performance due to its Apple M2 processor and more RAM, as well as a high-resolution display, significantly longer battery life, and a thinner, lighter design. It also has a better quality keyboard and is equipped with MacOS. In contrast, the Gateway 11.6" is far more affordable, with a smaller, lower-resolution screen and less powerful Intel Celeron processor, suitable for basic tasks. It runs Windows 10S and is slightly heavier despite a smaller form factor, but its lower cost makes it a sensible choice for those with limited needs and a tighter budget. 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 general use
Good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 11.6"
The Gateway 11.6" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2022).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
5.6/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) outshines the Gateway 11.6" in general use due to its superior processor, more RAM, and higher quality screen, all of which contribute to smoother performance, better multitasking, and more vivid visuals. Additionally, the MacBook Air offers better portability with a longer battery life, adding to its user convenience, whereas the Gateway's shorter battery life and lower specs limit its general use effectiveness.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
5.4/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
5.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a more powerful CPU and GPU, greater RAM, and a higher-quality screen, which are key for engineering and design tasks; whereas the Gateway 11.6" has a lesser CPU and GPU, less RAM, and a lower-quality screen, making it less suitable for such demanding work. Although both are portable, the MacBook's superior keyboard and quieter operation enhance the user experience, aspects that are less impressive on the Gateway.
Content Creation
7.9/10
5.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
13.6in
SIZE
11.6in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Air often comes with high-resolution displays that provide sharp texts and images, which, along with bright screens, enhances the viewing experience for everyday use and detailed work in engineering and design. Its advanced color gamut coverage meets the needs of professionals in design by accurately reproducing a wide range of colors. However, despite its strengths, it typically lacks a high refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth visuals in 3D environments and a key factor for those involved in 3D work or gaming.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Gateway 11.6" 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$899
$89
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 and the Gateway 11.6" costs $89.
"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 Gateway 11.6"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Laptops Expert
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