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Updated January 10, 2024·
If performance is your top priority, especially for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or demanding engineering software, the MacBook Air with its M2 chip offers better performance than the MSI GF63 Thin. However, if gaming is important to you, the GF63 Thin's dedicated Nvidia graphics make it a more suitable choice. The MacBook Air excels in portability with a lighter build and a significantly longer battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go use. It also outshines the GF63 Thin in display quality, with a higher resolution and color accuracy, which is great for creative work. On the other hand, if budget is a concern, the GF63 Thin comes at a lower cost but with heavier weight, shorter battery life, and an older processor, which may affect performance and future proofing. Both laptops have similar storage and RAM, but the MacBook Air's overall build and heat management are superior, lending to its premium feel and silent operation. 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 general use
- 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 MSI GF63 Thin
- The MSI GF63 Thin has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9
6.0
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) stands out in general use due to its higher-resolution screen, brighter display with better color coverage, and is also lighter and offers longer battery life, making it more portable and pleasant for media consumption and everyday tasks. In contrast, the MSI GF63 Thin, despite its satisfactory performance for general activities, falls behind with a lower-resolution display, less impressive color accuracy, a heavier build, and a significantly shorter battery life, impacting its convenience for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.0
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
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 MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is equipped with an Apple M2 GPU which provides fair 3D performance, but it has a screen refresh rate of 60Hz which may not be ideal for high-speed gaming; additionally, MacOS does not support many popular games that are available on Windows.
Engineering and Design
7.6
6.0
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.0
6.0
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
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 GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin 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
6.1
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air boasts a high-resolution display and bright screen, which enhances its clarity and detail for general use and engineering, while also offering a wide color gamut that benefits professional design work. However, its refresh rate is typically lower than gaming laptops, which could make it less optimal for smooth 3D experiences. The MSI GF63 Thin, while providing adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and some design work, doesn't offer the same color accuracy for professional engineering and design, nor does it have a high enough refresh rate to provide the best experience for gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
15.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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
4.1 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the MSI GF63 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
6.5
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI GF63 Thin 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
$599
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 51 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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."
MSI GF63 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the MSI GF63 Thin
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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