The Apple MacBook Air is sleek and has a longer battery life, making it excellent for on-the-go use; its screen is superior in resolution, brightness, and color coverage, which benefits creative work. However, the Dell Latitude 5430 runs Windows, which might be necessary for certain software, and it includes broader connectivity with an Ethernet port and more display outputs. If your work involves intensive engineering or 3D tasks, neither laptop is a powerhouse, but the MacBook Air has a slightly better performance. The Dell can handle general use effectively as well, and if the slightly longer battery life isn't crucial, it might be more cost-effective. Give Feedback
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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 Latitude 5430
The Dell Latitude 5430 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.2/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
248.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Latitude 5430 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is equipped with a superior proprietary CPU, a brighter and higher-resolution screen, and promises silent operation with better battery life, making it an excellent choice for general use, especially for those who prioritize display quality, portability, and noise-free experience.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
6.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5430 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is better suited for engineering and design due to its high-resolution display, more powerful Apple M2 chip with a 10-core GPU for graphically intensive tasks, and a longer battery life, providing a balance between performance and portability.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Dell Latitude 5430 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
7.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Dell Latitude 5430 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
6.1/10
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
248.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5430 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air boasts a high-resolution display with a panel type known for vibrant colors and brightness, making it ideal for daily activities and detail-oriented engineering work, further complemented by its wide color gamut coverage. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude has a more modest display that delivers adequate clarity and color accuracy for general and engineering purposes but doesn't stand out. However, both laptops' screens are not optimized for 3D applications due to lower refresh rates, which is crucial for smooth rendering and a seamless visual experience in games and 3D modeling.
Battery
15.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 5430 has 9 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
3.0 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Latitude 5430 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 Latitude 5430 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$790
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Dell Latitude 5430 costs $790.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Dell Latitude 5430 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air 15 (2023) with an Apple M2 GPU offers fair 3D performance but many popular games won't run on its macOS; its high-resolution screen, however, provides clear and vibrant visuals. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 5430 with its Intel Iris Xe graphics delivers adequate performance for gaming and 3D applications on Windows, with a lower screen resolution resulting in less sharp but still acceptable image quality.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Dell Latitude 5430 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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Dell Latitude 5430
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
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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.