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Updated January 10, 2024·
The MacBook Air 15 (2023) is known for its thunderbolt ports, portability, and long battery life, making it well-suited for general use, especially if you're frequently on the move. It runs MacOS, which could be either an advantage or limitation depending on your software needs. On the other hand, the MSI Bravo 15 offers a higher refresh rate and dedicated graphics card, which renders it more suitable for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering tasks; however, this comes at the cost of reduced battery life and increased weight, making it less portable. The Bravo 15 runs Windows, presenting a broader compatibility with various software, particularly in gaming and engineering. Choose the MacBook Air for portability and everyday use or the MSI Bravo 15 for higher performance in specialized 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)
- 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 MSI Bravo 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.1
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and MSI Bravo 15 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air with its M2 processor is known for efficient performance and long battery life, making it well-suited for general use, while its high screen quality adds to the experience. The MSI Bravo 15, although having a capable AMD Ryzen processor and better graphics, falls short in battery life and has a lower screen quality, impacting its suitability for general use despite its larger storage capacity.
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.2
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Bravo 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Content Creation
8.0
7.1
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
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 MSI Bravo 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
6.8
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 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 MSI Bravo 15 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
6.9
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the MSI Bravo 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air's screen offers high resolution and brightness, which makes it crisp and vivid for everyday tasks and professional design work; its panel ensures wide color gamut coverage essential for precision in engineering tasks. The MSI Bravo 15's screen, while sufficient for general use, lacks the color range needed for detailed design and engineering work. However, both laptops fall short for 3D applications and gaming due to lower refresh rates, making them less ideal for those who need fluid motion depiction.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The MSI Bravo 15 has 6 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
Fair
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the MSI Bravo 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
6.7
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Bravo 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
$862
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the MSI Bravo 15 costs $862.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.2
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and MSI Bravo 15 are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is well-suited for engineering and design use due to its high-resolution screen that provides excellent color coverage and a silent, powerful M2 CPU for multitasking, but it has less storage than the MSI Bravo 15. The MSI Bravo 15, on the other hand, offers a dedicated Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU for demanding engineering graphics tasks and higher storage capacity, while trading off lower screen color accuracy and shorter battery life compared to the MacBook Air.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the MSI Bravo 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | MSI Bravo 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $862 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 267 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Bravo 15
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMedia
Nikolay Palaozov | July 2023
"Overall, the MSI Bravo 15 C7U is a great gaming device for the masses that isn’t too pricey. The capable hardware (for the price range), the 144Hz display, and the comfortable keyboard are one of the things that should attract buyers who don’t want to spend a fortune on a new gaming laptop."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the MSI Bravo 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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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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