If you prioritize high performance, especially for demanding tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming, and you're willing to invest more, the MacBook Air may suit you, as it's likely to have a more powerful processor and better graphics capabilities. On the other hand, if you need something more economical for general use like browsing, document editing, and other simpler tasks, the Lenovo IdeaPad may be sufficient and save you money. The MacBook Air will also typically offer better battery life and a lighter build for portability, but at a higher cost. If you often carry your laptop around, this is an important consideration. 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.3/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) boasts a high-quality display, strong CPU and GPU performance suitable for demanding tasks, and exceptional portability marked by a long battery life and silent, fanless design, making it a premium choice for general use, albeit at a higher cost.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
6.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 with its Apple M2 CPU, 8GB RAM, and high-resolution screen is tailored for better performance in engineering and design where color precision and processing power are crucial, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 1, despite having more RAM and a capable AMD Ryzen CPU, offers a lower screen quality which might not be as suitable for design tasks that require high color accuracy and resolution. Additionally, the MacBook's silent operation and top-tier keyboard are more conducive to a premium engineering and design work experience when compared to the IdeaPad's fair keyboard quality and regular fan noise.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
6.4/10
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) boasts a high-resolution display that is likely bright and vibrant, offering wide color gamuts which are essential for accurate color work in engineering and design, but the lower refresh rate hampers its effectiveness for 3D applications where fluid motion is key. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a display that's adequate for everyday tasks and can handle basic design work but struggles with the color range that professionals require and has a refresh rate that isn't suited for the fast-paced visuals in gaming and 3D environments. For general use, both laptops are serviceable, but the MacBook Air stands out for more color-sensitive and detail-oriented tasks whereas neither is ideal for high-end 3D work due to the lower refresh rates.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 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
3.5 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$741
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" costs $741.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a dedicated GPU suitable for 3D tasks but often lacks compatibility with many popular games that don't run on macOS, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" also supports 3D workloads with its integrated graphics and is better for gaming due to the wider range of compatible games on Windows 11 Home, but both have standard screen refresh rates which may limit performance in fast-paced games.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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 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.
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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.
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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.