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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers a larger, brighter, and more color-accurate display, which may better suit professionals in creative fields or those who prioritize screen quality. Its operating system is macOS, which you may prefer if you're accustomed to the Apple ecosystem, and it boasts a silent, fanless operation. The LG Ultra 13, on the other hand, is lighter and therefore more portable, runs Windows 10, which might be more familiar or necessary for certain software, and has a higher RAM, potentially improving performance in multitasking scenarios. It is less expensive, but the tradeoff is a lower-resolution display and less overall build and speaker quality. The MacBook Air has a better battery life and keyboard quality, but it also comes with a higher price tag. The LG Ultra 13, while more affordable and with a solid performance, might be better suited for everyday tasks, rather than intensive engineering or 3D/machine learning tasks. 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
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the LG Ultra 13
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.2
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
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and LG Ultra 13 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is somewhat better.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.6
6.6
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.7/10
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 LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers a high-performance CPU and GPU, ideal for engineering and design tasks, and has an excellent screen quality with a higher resolution and color accuracy than the LG Ultra 13, which, while having more RAM, has a less powerful CPU and GPU, and its screen quality is not as advanced.
Content Creation
8.0
7.2
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.7/10
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 LG Ultra 13 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
7.2
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the LG Ultra 13 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
6.9
15.3in
SIZE
13.3in
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 LG Ultra 13 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering screen quality for general use, the MacBook Air's high-resolution and bright Retina display offers crisp and vibrant visuals, whereas the LG Ultra 13's lower resolution and brightness level provide a less sharp but still satisfactory image. For engineering and design tasks, the MacBook Air's wider color gamut delivers more accurate color representation, essential for professionals, while the LG Ultr’s decent color range is suitable but not ideal for precision work. Lastly, 3D applications demand high refresh rates for smooth visuals, which neither the MacBook Air nor the LG Ultra 13 specialize in, making both models less favorable for gaming or intensive 3D tasks.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The LG Ultra 13 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.
Build Quality
10.0
7.4
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the LG Ultra 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$529
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the LG Ultra 13 costs $529.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.1
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
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and LG Ultra 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 with its M2 GPU performs fairly for 3D tasks and has a standard screen refresh rate, suitable for basic 3D rendering needs, but keep in mind that many popular games do not run on macOS. In contrast, the LG Ultra 13 also offers fair performance in gaming and 3D tasks due to its Vega 7 integrated GPU, and while it too has a standard refresh rate, the Windows platform supports a broader range of games, but neither will provide the smoothest gaming experience due to their modest GPU power and refresh rates.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
15.3in
SIZE
13.3in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.1 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers LG Ultra 13 to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the LG Ultra 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | LG Ultra 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $529 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 12.1'' x 8.1'' x 0.6'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 2.16 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 12.08" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 8.14" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | AMD Ryzen 7 4700U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.3" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
LG Ultra 13
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | April 2017
"The 13.3-inch LG Gram is a fine fit if you need to travel as light as possible for as long as possible without spending a fortune to do it. It might not be particularly sturdy or have an eye-catching design and its webcam is less than ideal, but with its sharp touch display, comfortable backlit keyboard, responsive touchpad and a fingerprint reader for extra security, the Gram makes a respectible everyday laptop for business or school work."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the LG Ultra 13
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 LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, and are often on sale.
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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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About the laptop team
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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
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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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