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Updated January 10, 2024·
If portability and battery life are crucial for you, and you engage in tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption, the MacBook Air with its lightweight design and long battery life is a suitable choice. However, if you require a laptop for gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, and don't mind a heavier build and potentially shorter battery life, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, often with its superior processing power and dedicated graphics card, will better serve your needs. Consider that a higher performance typically comes at a higher price and less portability. 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 speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
- The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2022).
Key differences
Content Creation
7.9
7.4
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.3
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.2
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air is renowned for its high-resolution Retina display, offering vivid colors and crisp visuals, ideal for daily tasks and precision work in engineering and design due to its broad color gamut. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, while providing a good overall visual experience, lacks the higher color accuracy and range important for engineering and design tasks, though still adequate for general use. However, both laptops fall short for 3D applications as they don't have the high refresh rates needed for smooth rendering of fast-moving images typically associated with gaming or 3D modeling.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
5.1 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.2
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$839
$549
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $839 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 costs $549.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.4
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for general use.
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.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.5
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is less suited for 3D as its integrated GPU is weaker compared to dedicated gaming GPUs, and MacOS limits game availability, while the higher screen refresh rate and dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU in the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 make it more appropriate for gaming and 3D tasks, although it might not match the build quality and visual fidelity of the MacBook's screen.
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.2
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2022) | Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$839 | $549 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 5.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 10.49" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 60 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 486 nits | 329 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
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 IdeaPad Gaming 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | October 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the most powerful RTX 3050 Ti laptops. If you disregard the mediocre quality of the case in terms of the material and workmanship, Lenovo has created a successful budget gaming laptop with the IdeaPad Gaming. Thanks to high TDPs and constant performance development, the Core i5-12500H and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti are able to show their full power, while in contrast, the (mostly slower) competitors deliver a better battery life. However, hardly any of the alternative laptops are able to reach the image quality of the Gaming 3. Most of the competitors are left behind in terms of the color space and brightness."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
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.
By the numbers
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Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
124,095
Recommendations made
26,888
Consumer hours saved
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.
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.
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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.
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