The Apple MacBook Air (2022) offers a higher build quality, a fanless design for silent operation, and a more vivid display than the Gateway 15.6". Its also lighter and more portable with a longer battery life. The Gateway, however, provides more storage and memory at a lower price, but it's heavier and won't have the same high-quality display or build. The MacBook Air runs MacOS, which is preferred for certain creative software, while the Gateway comes with Windows, which is more common for business environments. Choose the MacBook Air if you value portability, quiet operation, and display quality. Opt for the Gateway if cost, storage, and having a larger screen are your main concerns. 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 Gateway 15.6"
The Gateway 15.6" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2022).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.0/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is somewhat better.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is favored for engineering and design due to its high-resolution screen, efficient Apple M2 processor with integrated GPU that's suitable for graphics-intensive tasks, while its lightweight and fanless design enhances portability and reduces operating noise. Contrastingly, the Gateway 15.6" offers more RAM and storage but has a lower resolution display and uses the Intel i5-1135G7 processor with Iris Xe graphics, which may not perform as well as the MacBook Air in demanding applications, and its heavier weight makes it less portable.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Gateway 15.6" 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
6.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1/10
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Air's display offers high resolution and brightness, making it crisp and vibrant for tasks like web browsing, document editing, and watching videos, appealing for general use. For engineering and design, its wide color gamut ensures accurate color representation, an essential factor for professionals in those fields. However, the MacBook Air's lower refresh rate compared to gaming-focused laptops makes it less ideal for 3D applications where fluid motion is critical.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" 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.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Gateway 15.6" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$899
$400
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 and the Gateway 15.6" costs $400.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Gateway 15.6" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is fair for 3D with its decent GPU integrated into the Apple M2 chip but is limited by lower compatibility with many popular games that don't run on MacOS. The Gateway 15.6" with an Intel Iris Xe GPU performs adequately for both gaming and 3D applications, but it doesn't excel due to screen quality and its refresh rate not being suited for high-end gaming.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Gateway 15.6" compare to other laptops
"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."
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Gateway 15.6"
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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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
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.
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.