The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is a midrange, more expensive option with a high-resolution display and long battery life, ideal for general use and multimedia. It's lightweight with a high-performance processor suitable for a range of tasks and offers a silent, fanless operation. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15", on the other hand, is a budget-friendly choice with a touchscreen, larger storage, and decent performance for general computing. Its screen is standard resolution, and it has a shorter battery life but includes a number pad and is better for those needing more ports. If you prioritize a sleek design, MacOS ecosystem, and better screen quality, the MacBook Air could be the right choice, while the IdeaPad 5 is more cost-effective and versatile for everyday tasks and connectivity. 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 5 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
6.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is equipped with a powerful Apple M2 CPU with integrated M2 (10C GPU), delivering strong performance and screen quality for engineering and design tasks, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has an AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with integrated Vega 8 graphics, which provides fair performance, but it is less capable compared to the Apple MacBook for these intense activities. Although both laptops offer similar amounts of RAM, the MacBook's superior GPU and CPU, which are very important for such tasks, give it the edge over the IdeaPad, which may still meet the needs of users with less demanding requirements.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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
6.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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
6.5/10
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
341.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air 15" (2023) has a high-resolution, bright display with wide color coverage, making it excellent for tasks that involve visual detail, such as engineering and design, but its lower refresh rate isn't ideal for 3D applications where fluid motion is crucial. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" offers a fair quality display with adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and enough color accuracy for entry-level design work, but it may not satisfy professionals who need precise color representation. Additionally, the lesser refresh rate on the IdeaPad, much like the MacBook Air, means it falls short for gaming and other high-motion 3D scenarios, where smoother visuals are a priority.
Battery
15.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 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
4.0 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$690
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" costs $690.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.2/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023), with its Apple M2 integrated GPU, has a display with a refresh rate of 60Hz, which is fair for casual 3D use, but Apple's ecosystem limits compatibility with many popular games and therefore isn't ideal for gaming. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" also has a 60Hz screen and is equipped with an AMD Ryzen integrated GPU that supports a wider range of games on Windows but might not provide top-tier gaming performance, which along with its fair screen quality, makes it an acceptable choice for both gaming and 3D tasks within its hardware limitations.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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 5 is convincing due to its long battery life. The device scores points especially with its large battery and long battery runtimes combined with its low consumption. The CPU and GPU perform in the test as one would expect, and in line with what was familiar from the somewhat smaller 14-inch sister model, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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 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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