If you prioritize a light and thin laptop with long battery life for general usage, such as browsing the web, watching videos, and document editing, the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is the more suitable choice. It is also quieter since it operates without a fan. However, if you need a laptop for more demanding tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, consider the MSI GP66 Leopard, which offers higher performance for those specific activities thanks to a more powerful processor and graphics card. This model also provides a higher refresh rate display, which is beneficial for fast-paced gaming. Bear in mind that it is heavier and has a shorter battery life; hence it is less portable than the MacBook Air. 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 MSI GP66 Leopard
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
7.8/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and MSI GP66 Leopard 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
7.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 MSI GP66 Leopard 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
7.6/10
7.5/10
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the MSI GP66 Leopard for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air, with its high-resolution display and excellent brightness, offers stunning visuals that are critical for general use involving a variety of content. For engineering and design professionals, it displays a wide color gamut, ensuring accurate color representation which is essential for detail-oriented work. However, for 3D applications and gaming, the MSI GP66 Leopard falls short due to its lower refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth motion and immersive visual experiences.
Battery
15.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 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
Fair
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$899
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air, with its efficient M2 CPU, 8GB RAM and high-quality retina display, offers excellent general usability alongside portability and longer battery life, making it a great all-rounder. On the other hand, the MSI GP66 Leopard provides higher performance with an i7 processor and 16GB RAM for more demanding tasks but trades off with reduced portability due to its larger size and shorter battery life, although it features a better quality keyboard and enhanced heat management.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
7.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is valued for engineering and design due to its high-resolution screen and Apple M2 GPU which offers solid performance in a lightweight and quiet package, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is favored for heavier engineering tasks with its more powerful Intel processor and Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, as well as double the RAM, but it is heavier and less portable.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the MSI GP66 Leopard 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."
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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