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Updated January 10, 2024·
Deciding between the Apple MacBook Air and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i involves prioritizing your needs. The MacBook Air is more portable due to its lighter weight and offers longer battery life, making it a good choice for on-the-go use and general day-to-day tasks. On the other hand, the IdeaPad Pro 5i has a more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, which are beneficial for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering software. It also has a higher resolution and refresh rate display for smoother visuals, though it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, which could be less convenient for frequent mobility. Both are similarly priced, but the IdeaPad provides more storage and memory, while the MacBook Air integrates well with other Apple products and operates silently without a fan. 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 Pro 5i
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.4
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair.
The MacBook Air (2022) has an integrated GPU that is less powerful than dedicated gaming GPUs and a standard screen refresh rate, which is adequate for some 3D tasks but not ideal for fast-paced gaming. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i boasts a superior Nvidia dedicated GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, both very important for gaming and 3D applications, making it more suitable for these demands, especially considering that many popular games are not compatible with macOS.
Engineering and Design
7.5
8.1
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is rated higher for engineering and design use primarily due to its more powerful Intel processor and dedicated Nvidia GPU, along with double the RAM capacity of the Apple MacBook Air, which houses an Apple M2 processor with integrated graphics and less RAM. While the MacBook Air offers excellent portability and a high-quality screen, the IdeaPad Pro 5i provides superior screen size, higher refresh rates, and more robust performance for demanding engineering applications.
Screen Quality
7.6
7.8
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i for engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air's display boasts high resolution and brightness along with a wide color gamut, providing crisp and vibrant visuals for general tasks and color accuracy for engineering and design applications, but its standard refresh rate limits its appeal for 3D work which requires smoother motion. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i, with similar attributes in resolution and brightness, also offers a good range of colors, making it suitable for both casual use and professional design work; however, like the MacBook Air, it lacks the high refresh rate preferred for gaming and 3D rendering tasks. Both laptops excel in delivering clear, accurate visuals for everyday and professional creative use but fall short for high frame rate-dependent activities like 3D applications and gaming.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has 6 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
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.6
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$799
$950
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $799 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i costs $950.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.7
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) with its lightweight design, long battery life, and efficient Apple M2 chip is excellent for portability and everyday tasks, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i, featuring a more powerful Intel CPU, larger RAM, and advanced Nvidia graphics is better suited for heavier tasks but is less portable and has a shorter battery life. Screen quality is superb on both, but while the MacBook Air is noted for silent operation, the IdeaPad offers extra storage and has a high-quality keyboard, making it more versatile for a range of uses.
Content Creation
7.9
7.7
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 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
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2022) | Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $950 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 4.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 9.88" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 486 nits | 409 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
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 Pro 5i
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | January 2024
"Lenovo’s IdeaPad Pro 5i represents an impressive opening salvo for Meteor Lake in the ultraportable space against familiar foes from AMD and Apple. Not only does the Core Ultra 5 125H processor provide good performance across the board, but battery life remains a strong point against the Acer Swift Edge 16 with its AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor. It can’t quite match the endurance of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, but the gap is shrinking."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
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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