The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a high-resolution display, long battery life, and a lightweight design suitable for portability but with limited storage and mid-level processing power. It's a good fit for general use and tasks that benefit from its high-quality screen. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 offers more storage, stronger performance for engineering and 3D tasks, a touchscreen, and a heftier design which may affect portability. It's well-rounded and could better suit demanding applications but falls short in battery life compared to 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 15 (2023)
Good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 7425
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
6.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is equipped with a high-quality screen and an efficient CPU and GPU combo suitable for design, and its fanless operation makes it quiet for engineering environments, but fewer ports may limit peripheral connectivity. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 offers more RAM, a flexible 2-in-1 design advantageous for certain engineering tasks, and additional storage capacity, albeit with a less impressive screen and lower build quality compared to the MacBook.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 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
8.1/10
7.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 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
7.8/10
6.2/10
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a sharp and vibrant display for everyday tasks like browsing and streaming, the MacBook Air offers a high-resolution screen with excellent brightness. For detailed engineering and design work, the same MacBook Air supports wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation crucial for professional work. However, if fast-paced 3D gaming or animation is your focus, neither laptop excels because of their lower refresh rates, but the MacBook Air might offer a marginally better experience due to its superior resolution and panel technology.
Battery
15.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has 7.5 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
Very Good
Very Good
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$800
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 costs $800.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is well-suited for general use due to its capable Apple M2 processor, 8 GB of RAM, high-quality IPS screen, light weight for portability, and long battery life. In comparison, the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 also caters well to general use with its AMD Ryzen 7 5825U processor, double the RAM at 16 GB, a touchscreen display and a compact form factor, though it has a shorter battery life and potential for more operating noise linked to active cooling.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.2/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Overall, this Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 offers a lot to like, especially at its oft-discounted price of $800. It’s a sturdy laptop with strong performance, a convertible touchscreen, loud speakers, and a convenient fingerprint reader. But the trade-offs you’ll make in pursuit of that lower price—most notably the dim display and stiff trackpad—might just keep you from outright loving it."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Dell Inspiron 14 7425
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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
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.