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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 13, 2024·
When choosing between the Apple MacBook Air and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, consider that the MacBook Air offers a sleek design, long battery life, and seamless integration with other Apple products, making it ideal for general use and mobility. However, the MSI Prestige may provide better performance for tasks like 3D work, machine learning, or gaming, though it may be less portable and have a shorter battery life than the MacBook Air. If your work demands high performance and you're okay with a heftier device and additional cost, the MSI could suit your needs better. 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 Prestige 13 AI Evo
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6
8.2
13.6in
SIZE
13.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo for software development, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and software development.
The MacBook Air's Retina display offers high resolution and brightness, making it excellent for general use with vivid colors and clear text, while its wide color gamut caters to engineering and design work, ensuring accurate color reproduction. The MSI Prestige has similar attributes with good resolution and brightness, along with solid color coverage for professional work, but both models lack the high refresh rates crucial for smooth 3D rendering, which can be a drawback for gaming or 3D applications. Portability and screen quality align well for general and design tasks, but for users prioritizing 3D performance, these laptops might not be the most suitable due to their screen refresh rate limitations.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
Very Good
13.6in
SIZE
13.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.4
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$799
$1,216
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $799 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo costs $1,216.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.0
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air, with its efficient CPU and long battery life, excels in screen quality and portability, making it ideal for users who prioritize a sleek design and ease of carrying around. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, though also portable and with a high-quality screen, provides more power for demanding applications due to its superior CPU and RAM, which may lead to a tradeoff in battery life and increased heat when under heavy workloads.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.8
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air, while equipped with an efficient processor suitable for general use and basic 3D tasks, has integrated graphics limiting its performance for intensive gaming and high-end 3D applications, and additionally, many popular games aren't compatible with macOS. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige, with its dedicated GPU, can handle gaming and 3D tasks more effectively, offering a higher screen refresh rate for smoother visuals, but its gaming prowess on Windows may come at the expense of battery life compared to the MacBook Air.
Engineering and Design
7.5
8.0
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo to be very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The MacBook Air offers a robust CPU and high-resolution screen that excel in engineering and design tasks, while its unified memory architecture ensures smooth multitasking; the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo also boasts a strong CPU and dedicated GPU for demanding software, with the added benefit of a portable design and comfortable keyboard, though both might have a louder operating noise under heavy loads.
Content Creation
7.9
8.1
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
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
7.9
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be very good for software development, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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 MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2022) | MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $1,216 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2022 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | 11.8'' x 8.3'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.7 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 11.77" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 8.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
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 | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 73 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.6" | 13" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 486 nits | 415 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.4/10 | 8.6/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
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.
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