If you prioritize a lightweight and more portable option with higher screen quality and better build, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) could be the right choice, albeit at a higher price. Its performance is well-suited for general use but less so for tasks like gaming or intensive engineering applications. However, if you seek better value for money with more storage and higher performance for engineering tasks or 3D activities, the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is a compelling option, despite being heavier and less portable. Keep in mind, the Dell's screen and build quality may not match the Apple's. 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)
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5635
Very good for general use
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8/10
6.6/10
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
265.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air's screen offers high resolution and brightness, making it ideal for general use and suitable for detailed tasks in engineering and design due to its wide color gamut coverage. Meanwhile, the Dell Inspiron's screen may have lower resolution and less brightness, affecting its general use clarity and color reproduction for engineering and design, but it still provides the necessary basics. However, both laptops lack high refresh rates, limiting their effectiveness for smooth 3D rendering and fast-paced gaming, where fluid motion is key.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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
Very Good
Good
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$735
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 costs $735.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Inspiron 16 5635 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers a high-quality display, superior battery life, and a lightweight design, making it a strong contender for general use but with less memory and storage compared to the Dell Inspiron 16 5635. The Dell, on the other hand, provides more RAM and a larger storage capacity, which might make it preferable for those who need more resources for multitasking and data-intensive tasks, though it sacrifices some portability and screen quality relative to the MacBook Air.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.3/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) with its Apple M2 GPU provides decent performance for 3D applications but may struggle with some popular games unavailable on MacOS, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635, featuring an AMD Ryzen GPU, offers fair gaming and 3D capability on Windows, which supports a wider range of games. Both laptops have standard screen refresh rates, so gaming experiences may be comparable but without the high refresh rates seen in dedicated gaming machines.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
7.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is equipped with an integrated M2 processor and GPU combination which, along with its exceptional screen quality and high-resolution display, makes it highly suited for engineering and design tasks; though it’s lighter and boasts a longer battery life, it has less overall storage and memory compared to the Dell. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 comes with a powerful AMD Ryzen processor and a Vega 8 GPU, offers double the RAM and storage capacity which is crucial for heavy workloads, and while also having a good quality screen, it is somewhat heavier and doesn't have as long battery life as the MacBook Air.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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
7.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 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."
"Compared to the previous year’s Inspiron, Dell upgraded the screen aspect ratio on this generation, but also transitioned to a more minimalistic centered keyboard flanked by up-firing speakers. The 16-inch screen is huge plus and I really appreciate the extra real estate without sacrificing the footprint much. This year’s model is a little larger than last, though, as the former model was already very small for a 15 incher."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Dell Inspiron 16 5635
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,395
Recommendations made
22,403
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.