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Updated January 10, 2024·
When deciding between the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Lenovo Flex 5 14, consider how you'll use the laptop. The MacBook Air offers robust build quality, a high-quality screen, and excellent heat management with silent operation due to its fanless design, making it ideal for everyday use, media consumption, and light productivity work on-the-go. Conversely, the Lenovo Flex 5 boasts a touchscreen with a 360-degree hinge for tablet-like functionality, a larger storage capacity, and double the RAM, better suited for multitasking and more demanding tasks. However, the Flex 5 is heavier and has a slightly lesser battery life compared to the MacBook Air. If you heavily rely on MacOS-specific software or prioritize a lightweight and silent machine, the MacBook Air would suit you well. On the other hand, if you require more storage out of the box, plan on running memory-intensive applications, or appreciate the flexibility of a 2-in-1 device and are content with Windows, the Lenovo Flex 5 might be the better option. Both are priced similarly and offer advantages depending on your personal needs and workflow preferences. 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 Lenovo Flex 5 14
- The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2022).
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.0
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Lenovo Flex 5 14 are both good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) provides a more vivid and sharp display, better build quality, and silent operation, which is ideal for design applications where color accuracy and minimal distractions are key, but it may have less processing power for engineering simulations than the Lenovo Flex 5 14, which offers more memory and a 2-in-1 convertible design, enhancing functionality for engineering tasks that can benefit from a touchscreen and tablet mode. The latter is heftier and might not match the Apple MacBook Air in terms of portability and premium feel.
Software Development
8.0
7.4
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 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
6.4
13.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
277.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Lenovo Flex 5 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air boasts a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and vibrant colors, making it ideal for general use and detailed engineering or design work due to its wide color gamut coverage. However, it lacks a high refresh rate, which is critical for smooth 3D rendering, limiting its effectiveness for such applications. Conversely, the Lenovo Flex 5 14 offers an adequate display for everyday tasks and engineering or design, but its lower resolution, brightness, and color range, combined with a standard refresh rate, diminish its performance for gaming and 3D visualization compared to more specialized screens.
Battery
15.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has 11.5 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
3.4 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 has very 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 Lenovo Flex 5 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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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
277.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Lenovo Flex 5 14 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air, with its powerful M2 chip and high-resolution screen, is fantastic for general use and has a long battery life, providing portability and quiet operation best suited for everyday tasks and multimedia consumption. On the other hand, the Lenovo Flex 5 offers more storage and memory, a 2-in-1 touchscreen with flexible modes for various use cases, though with a longer lasting battery life and slightly heavier build, making it versatile for general use but less portable than the MacBook Air.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.2
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Lenovo Flex 5 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has an integrated GPU that, while capable for some 3D tasks, doesn't match dedicated gaming GPUs, and its MacOS may limit the availability of popular games that would otherwise leverage its high screen quality and color accuracy.
Content Creation
7.9
7.6
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Lenovo Flex 5 14 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.
Cost
$944
$950
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $944 and the Lenovo Flex 5 14 costs $950.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Lenovo Flex 5 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2022) | Lenovo Flex 5 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$944 | $950 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | December 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 12.3'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 3.42 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 12.32" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 8.85" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
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 | 11.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 52.5 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 | 277 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
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 | N/A | |
Shopping
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."
Lenovo Flex 5 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2021
"The highlight of the latest IdeaPad Flex 5 14 is clearly its AMD CPU. The octa-core Ryzen 7 5700U is insanely fast even when compared to the best Tiger Lake Ultrabooks in the market or even Core H CPUs in many gaming laptops. It's a lot of raw processing power for what is supposed to be a budget 14-inch convertible. If your daily workloads can benefit from extra multi-thread CPU performance, then look no further than the inexpensive AMD-powered Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14. For regular on-the-road browsing or video streaming, however, a slimmer and lighter 10th gen Core Yoga, Spectre, or XPS would be a more balanced option."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Lenovo Flex 5 14
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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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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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