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MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Company ProductName Specs











Laptop 16 (2023)
Company ProductName Specs











Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
  • Best in class overall build quality
  • Very good portability
  • Excellent battery life
  • Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Framework Laptop 16 (2023)
  • Very good overall display quality

Key differences

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Software Development

8.5
MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Laptop 16 (2023)
8.0
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
24.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Framework Laptop 16 (2023) are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is somewhat better.

Screen Quality

7.8
MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Laptop 16 (2023)
8.4
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
490.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Framework Laptop 16 for software development, while the Framework Laptop 16 has a better screen for general use, and gaming and AI.

Battery

15.0 Hours
MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Laptop 16 (2023)
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Framework Laptop 16 has 9 hours of battery life.

Portability

Very Good
MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Laptop 16 (2023)
Good
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the Framework Laptop 16 (2023) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

10.0
MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Laptop 16 (2023)
8.0
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Framework Laptop 16 (2023) has very good build quality.
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Key similarities

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General Use

8.5
MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Laptop 16 (2023)
8.0
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
490.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Framework Laptop 16 (2023) are both very good for general use.

Gaming and AI

6.6
MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Laptop 16 (2023)
6.8
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both only fair for gaming and AI.

Engineering and Design

8.0
MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Laptop 16 (2023)
8.1
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
24.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very good for engineering and design.

Content Creation

8.2
MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Laptop 16 (2023)
8.1
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
24.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Framework Laptop 16 (2023) are both very good for content creation.

Cost

$1,699
MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Laptop 16 (2023)
$1,699
Product imageProduct image

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,699 and the Framework Laptop 16 (2023) costs $1,699.

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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Framework Laptop 16 (2023) compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)Framework Laptop 16 (2023)
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)Framework Laptop 16 (2023)

GENERAL

Price
$1,699
$1,699
Release Date
June 1, 2023July 1, 2023
Overall Dimensions
13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45''14'' x 10.6'' x 0.71''
Weight
3.3 lbs4.63 lbs
Width
13.4"14.04"
Depth
9.35"10.63"

INTERNAL

Processor
Apple M2AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS
RAM
24 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
02
Storage
256 GB512 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
15 Hours9 Hours
Battery Capacity
66.6 Wh85 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
15.3"16"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
2880 x 18642560 x 1600
Refresh Rate
60Hz165Hz
Display Brightness
501 nits490 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
10/108/10
Portability Score
9/107.4/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoNo
Premium Business Laptop
YesNo
Fan Noise Score
10/107.5/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
10/108/10
Speaker Quality Score
10/109.6/10
Webcam
1080p1080p
Fingerprint Reader
YesYes
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
NoYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
02
USB-C ports
22
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
12
Thunderbolt Version
3N/A

Shopping

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Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)

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Dig into reviews and images

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."

Framework Laptop 16 (2023)

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Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Allen Ngo | January 2024
"The trend towards thinner and lighter laptops is made possible by fusing more and more components onto the mainboard. The main drawback to this approach is that it limits repairability as even a small fault may require replacing entire boards. Framework is one of the only manufacturers looking the other way in an attempt to improve end-user customization and servicing. There's no question that the Laptop 16 is more user-friendly to service than any alternative, but this lucrative feature comes at the cost of size and weight as individual components must be easily replaceable."

Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Framework Laptop 16 (2023)

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 Framework

Framework is a new American laptop manufacturer, specializing in modular and repairable laptops with the goals of promoting longevity and reducing electronic waste. They are a strong proponent of the right to repair movement. Framework laptops have replaceable RAM, storage, ports, keyboards, display bezels, mainboards, and more, making them a great choice for repairability-oriented individuals.

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Why trust us

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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.

By the numbers

380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
116,295
Recommendations made
25,198
Consumer hours saved

About the laptop team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

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.

Craig Russell

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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