Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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GENERAL USE: Very Good—8.5/10
GAMING/AI: Fair—6.6/10
ENG/DESIGN: Very Good—8.0/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Very Good—8.5/10
CONTENT CREATION: Very Good—8.2/10
PORTABILITY: Very Good—8.9/10
BATTERY: Excellent—9.3/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Very Good—8.0/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Good—7.8/10
SIZE: 15.3"
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is a premium-level laptop with a sleek design and a fanless, silent operation suitable for general use and engineering tasks, though not as well-suited for intensive gaming or 3D/machine learning applications due to its GPU. It features the latest Apple M2 processor and 24 GB of RAM enabling good performance for most tasks. With a high-resolution IPS display that delivers vibrant colors and excellent brightness, it's also lightweight and highly portable, making it a good option for on-the-go productivity. Its 15-hour battery life ensures you can work for extended periods without searching for a power outlet. This laptop comes with a MacOS operating system and carries a higher price tag, reflecting its build quality and performance capabilities. It lacks a touchscreen and Ethernet port but compensates with a high portability score and top-quality keyboard, webcam, and speaker system, ensuring a comfortable user experience for daily tasks. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- High-resolution display
- Long battery life
- Ultra-portable design
- Excellent build quality
- Very quiet operation
Cons
- No touchscreen
- Limited ports available
- No Ethernet connectivity
- No RAM or storage expansion
Ratings by Category
Build Quality:5.0
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, chassis rigidity, and overall reliability.
Our assessment of build quality includes many details that are difficult to quantify.
Our laptop experts use their best judgment to produce the final score.
Operating Noise:5.0
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Keyboard Quality:5.0
The Keyboard Quality score is based on the PerfectRec experts’ assessment of tactile feedback, typing comfort, keyboard reliability and typing noise.
Battery Life:4.8
PerfectRec’s Battery Life rating is based on hours of battery life in typical usage scenarios.
Portability:4.7
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
General Use:4.6
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is optimal for general use due to its powerful CPU and ample RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking, along with a high-quality screen that offers vivid colors and excellent brightness. Its long battery life and light weight contribute to its portability, making it a reliable choice for everyday tasks on the go.
Software Development:4.6
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Content Creation:4.5
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, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
General Use Screen Quality:4.5
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
Engineering & Design:4.4
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is equipped with a powerful Apple M2 processor and a 10-core GPU, delivering substantial performance for engineering and design tasks, with plenty of RAM to handle multitasking and demanding applications. Additionally, the high-quality IPS display with a wide color gamut and high brightness provides clear and accurate visuals for detailed work, while its silent, fanless design enhances the working environment.
Gaming & AI:3.6
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is equipped with Apple's integrated M2 (10C GPU) which, while being energy efficient, offers limited performance compared to discrete gaming or professional graphics cards, which hinders its ability to efficiently handle demanding 3D tasks. Furthermore, its screen is capped at a refresh rate of 60Hz, which may not be as smooth for visually intensive applications that benefit from higher refresh rates, impacting 3D viewing and interaction quality.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $1,699 | ||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | ||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | ||
Width | 13.4" | ||
Depth | 9.35" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Apple M2 | ||
RAM | 24 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | ||
RAM Slots | 0 | ||
Storage | 256 GB | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 15 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 15.3" | ||
Display Technology | IPS | ||
Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | ||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 10/10 | ||
Portability Score | 9/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | ||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | ||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | ||
Webcam | 1080p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | ||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | ||
Number Pad | No | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 0 | ||
USB-C ports | 2 | ||
USB-C Charging | Yes | ||
Display Outputs | 1 | ||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | ||
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
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