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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a balance between performance and price, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro offers more storage and memory, making it suitable for multitasking and more demanding tasks like engineering, while still maintaining a solid performance in general use. However, the Apple MacBook Air is slimmer, lighter, and provides a fanless operation which is ideal for portability and quiet environments. The MacBook Air also has a longer battery life and a higher display quality which is better for media consumption and general use. The MacBook Air's price is higher, but its build quality and ecosystem benefits may justify the extra cost for those immersed in Apple's environment. The IdeaPad has a gaming-capable graphics card and a higher refresh rate screen, making it a better choice for gaming and applications that benefit from a dedicated GPU. 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)
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- 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 Pro
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
Software Development
8.1
7.4
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 Pro 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
7.8
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a high resolution and bright display, making it great for general use and detailed engineering designs due to its accurate color representation and wider color gamuts. While the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro also has a good display for general use and engineering, it may not be as color-accurate or as bright as the MacBook. However, both laptops lack high refresh-rate screens, which are essential for smooth visuals in 3D environments, thus limiting their effectiveness for 3D tasks such as gaming or animation rendering.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.6
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$860
$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 Pro costs $860.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.5
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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
6.5
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023), suitable for modest 3D work, features an integrated Apple M2 GPU, which pales in comparison to the dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 in the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro that can handle gaming and 3D applications more capably; however, the MacBook's screen offers a standard refresh rate, while the IdeaPad’s higher refresh rate is better for smooth gaming action, yet some popular games may not run on the MacBook's operating system.
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.2
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is well-suited for engineering and design due to its high-quality display and strong integrated graphics from the Apple M2 chip, but has less RAM and storage compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro, which offers a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, more RAM for complex tasks, and a higher storage capacity, making it a solid choice for engineering software that may require dedicated graphics performance. Both laptops are portable, with the MacBook Air being lighter and thinner, promoting better portability, while the IdeaPad 5 Pro provides additional features such as a higher screen refresh rate and available storage slots for future upgrades.
Content Creation
8.0
7.5
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $860 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 4.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.88" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | AMD Ryzen 5 6600HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 409 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | September 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro turns out a successful all-rounder that, aside from 3D applications, always strikes a good or very good figure. This begins with the elegant metal case that isn't particularly light but fairly robust, giving a high-quality impression. The input devices are also better than those of many competitors. Both the keyboard and the touchpad are attractive and comfortable. In addition, the performance of the Ryzen 5 6600HS is easily able to keep up with the Intel competitors."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
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.
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