Choosing between the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Gateway 15.6" depends on your priorities. The MacBook Air offers a higher resolution display, longer battery life, and is equipped with Apple's M2 chip known for powerful performance, especially in creative tasks like video editing or design, within a lightweight and thin form factor. However, it comes at a higher price. The Gateway offers more storage space, more RAM, and has a wider range of ports, which may benefit multitasking and connectivity. It runs Windows, so it's more suitable if you're reliant on Windows-specific software. If budget is a major factor and you're looking for solid daily performance, the Gateway could be the better option, but if you're seeking higher performance and a premium build, you might favor 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
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 15.6"
The Gateway 15.6" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.0/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers a high-quality display, excellent keyboard, superior speakers, and a well-managed silent operation which makes it highly suitable for general use, though the slightly lower storage and memory may limit heavy multitasking or storage-intensive tasks when compared to the Gateway 15.6", which has double the storage and memory, contributing to better multitasking and application performance; however, the Gateway's display, speakers, and keyboard are of lesser quality, and its bulkier build and higher operating noise present tradeoffs for its additional resources.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
6.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
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 Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is considered good for engineering and design primarily because it has a high-resolution display with excellent color accuracy and a powerful CPU/GPU combination that's suitable for demanding applications, whereas the Gateway 15.6" has fair performance due to its less powerful processor and GPU, and lower screen quality which is less ideal for detail-oriented work. Furthermore, the MacBook is lighter and has a fanless design for silent operation which enhances portability and user comfort, while the Gateway, being heavier and noisier, may be less convenient for on-the-go usage and prolonged work sessions.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 Gateway 15.6" 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
6.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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
15.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air generally offers a higher resolution and superior panel technology, providing crisp, clear images and vibrant colors that are suitable for everyday tasks and professional design work, while its brightness ensures good visibility in various lighting conditions. However, for engineering and design, although it has an excellent color range that covers professional color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, its screen is not optimized for high refresh rates, making it less ideal for 3D rendering and gaming where smooth motion is crucial. In contrast, the Gateway 15.6" delivers fair image quality and adequate color reproduction for general tasks and engineering, but its lower refresh rate and typically lesser resolution and panel quality result in less satisfactory visuals for gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the Gateway 15.6" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
5.1/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Gateway 15.6" costs $400.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Gateway 15.6" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is fair for 3D because it features an M2 processor with a 10-core GPU, adequate for less intensive tasks, but its typical 60Hz screen refresh rate and macOS can limit game compatibility. Conversely, the Gateway 15.6" also has a moderate 60Hz refresh rate and an Intel Iris Xe graphics processor, which is fair for gaming and capable of 3D applications, with the added advantage of running Windows, which supports a wider range of popular games.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Gateway 15.6" 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."
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Gateway 15.6"
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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