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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is known for its lightweight and thin design, making it highly portable and convenient for general use, as well as having silent, fanless operation which is suitable for quiet environments. It runs MacOS, which is preferred by some users for its interface and exclusivity to Apple software. The Lenovo Legion 5 15", on the other hand, offers a more powerful GPU and CPU, which makes it a better choice for gaming, 3D modeling, and machine learning tasks. It has greater storage and memory capacity and tends to sacrifice battery life and portability for higher performance, featuring a bulkier design and higher weight. Both laptops are similarly priced, so the decision mainly depends on whether you value portability and a quieter system (MacBook Air) or higher performance for intensive tasks (Legion 5). 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 Legion 5 15"
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.9
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 boasts a higher refresh rate and a superior dedicated Nvidia GPU, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D applications, while the Apple MacBook Air features an integrated GPU and is limited by a lower refresh rate, which is adequate but not optimal for 3D tasks. Furthermore, the Legion 5 runs Windows which supports a wider range of popular games, unlike the MacBook Air that runs MacOS and cannot run many popular gaming titles.
Engineering and Design
7.5
8.2
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is deemed very good for engineering and design largely due to its superior processing power with AMD Ryzen, doubled RAM, and a higher-end Nvidia GPU, which are crucial for resource-intensive tasks. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air (2022), while offering a high-quality display and silent operation due to its fanless design, features the less powerful in-house M2 chip and GPU, which are suitable but not optimal for more demanding engineering software.
Content Creation
7.9
7.4
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Lenovo Legion 5 15" 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
8.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" 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
8.0
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 5 15" for engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air, with its high-resolution Retina display, provides vibrant colors and sharp details suitable for general use and engineering tasks, enhanced by its ability to cover a broad range of color gamuts, crucial for precise color work in design. However, its refresh rate isn't optimal for 3D applications where smoothness is key. The Lenovo Legion 5 offers strong performance for general use with decent resolution and brightness, and while it has good color accuracy for engineering, it falls short in gaming and 3D scenarios due to a lower refresh rate than specialized gaming laptops.
Battery
15.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 15" has 4 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
Fair
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.3 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" has only fair 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 Legion 5 15" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$799
$999
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $799 and the Lenovo Legion 5 15" costs $999.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.5
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Lenovo Legion 5 15" are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) excels in portability, screen quality, and battery life which are crucial for general use, and backed by the efficient M2 CPU and sufficient RAM, it provides seamless performance for everyday tasks. The Lenovo Legion 5 15", while heavier and with shorter battery life, offers superior gaming capabilities with its advanced AMD CPU and RTX GPU, more RAM for multitasking, and a larger, high-refresh-rate screen, but its overkill for users not into heavy tasks like gaming or video editing.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Lenovo Legion 5 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2022) | Lenovo Legion 5 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $999 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 14.1'' x 10.3'' x 0.95'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 5.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 10.33" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 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 | 4 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 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 486 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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 | 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 Legion 5 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | September 2021
"The Lenovo Legion 5 15 is an affordable gaming laptop with a lot of power. The new AMD processor Ryzen 7 5800H offers plenty of performance and it is also very efficient. The combination with the fast 130W version of the GeForce RTX 3060 ensures high gaming performance. We also like the fast 165 Hz display with the 1080p resolution. The automatic graphics switching causes some problems with stutters, which are very annoying. If you do not need long battery runtimes, you should definitely deactivate the hybrid graphics mode in Lenovo's Vantage app. The Legion 5 15 is never silent."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Lenovo Legion 5 15"
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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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.
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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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