The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers a larger and higher-quality display, significantly better performance for 3D renderings or engineering use, and exceptional build quality compared to the Gateway 11.6". It is suitable for tasks like photo and video editing due to the superior screen color accuracy. However, it is more expensive, and while it's light, the 15-inch screen size makes it less portable than the Gateway. The Gateway is much less costly and very portable because of its small size and weight, but it's much less powerful, with a lower quality display and less storage and memory, making it suitable for basic tasks like web browsing and word processing. 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 general use
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 Gateway 11.6"
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
5.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers a more powerful CPU, twice the amount of RAM, and a higher-resolution screen with better color accuracy, making it well-suited for general use; it also has a longer battery life, a larger screen size, and superior build quality, contributing to its overall user experience. On the other hand, the Gateway 11.6" has a less capable CPU, half the RAM, and a lower resolution screen with lower color coverage, which limits its performance and suitability for general use; despite its portability and excellent battery life, the compromises in keyboard, speaker, and build quality impact its effectiveness for everyday tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
5.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
5.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is better for engineering and design due to its powerful Apple M2 CPU and integrated GPU which are more capable of handling demanding tasks, alongside a high-quality screen which is essential for design work. In contrast, the Gateway 11.6" has a less powerful Intel Celeron N4020 CPU and lower-tier integrated GPU, plus a lower resolution screen, which make it less suitable for intensive engineering applications and design accuracy.
Content Creation
8.0/10
5.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
15.3in
SIZE
11.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air typically comes with high-resolution displays, which, coupled with its bright panels, makes it suitable for general tasks, and its wide color gamut supports detailed engineering and design work. On the other hand, the Gateway's lower resolution and dimmer screen make it less ideal for general use and not suitable for professional design tasks that require precise color representation. However, both laptops may fall short for 3D tasks, as the MacBook Air usually does not prioritize high refresh rates, which are essential for smooth 3D rendering and gaming experiences.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Gateway 11.6" 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$89
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Gateway 11.6" costs $89.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 11.6" to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Gateway 11.6" 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 Gateway 11.6"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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