A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
I will provide you with information to help you choose between the MacBook Air and the MSI GP66 Leopard. The MacBook Air 15 (2023) is known for its lightweight and slim design, making it an excellent choice for portability. It generally offers strong performance for everyday tasks, and its battery life is usually impressive, suitable for users who need a laptop that lasts all day and is easy to carry around. Its ecosystem is well-suited for those who already have other Apple devices. On the other hand, the MSI GP66 Leopard is designed for gaming and intensive tasks such as 3D rendering and machine learning. It tends to have a powerful dedicated graphics card, which significantly boosts performance in these areas but can also lead to a heavier build and reduced battery life. If your main focus is on high-performance computing tasks or gaming, and you don't mind a bulkier laptop with shorter battery life, the MSI GP66 Leopard would be a strong choice. Price is also an important factor to consider – gaming laptops like the MSI GP66 Leopard can be expensive due to their high-end components, whereas Apple products are also premium-priced, often for their build quality and software integration. Evaluate your budget alongside your specific needs to make the best decision. 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 MSI GP66 Leopard
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.8
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a decent integrated GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, which provides fair 3D capabilities, while the MSI GP66 Leopard features a high-end dedicated GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, enhancing its gaming and 3D performance; furthermore, the MacBook's operating system isn't compatible with many popular games, an additional advantage for the MSI's Windows platform.
Content Creation
8.0
7.4
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
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 MSI GP66 Leopard 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
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 MSI GP66 Leopard 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
7.5
15.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the MSI GP66 Leopard for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air's screen offers crisp visuals and vibrant colors due to its high resolution and brightness, making text and images look sharp for general use and professional tasks that require precision, such as engineering and design. Its superb color accuracy, covering extensive portions of DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color spaces, is essential for tasks where colors must be consistently correct, such as graphic design and video editing. However, for 3D applications and gaming, where a high refresh rate is crucial to provide fluid motion, the MacBook Air falls short compared to laptops designed with faster refresh rates, which can offer smoother on-screen actions.
Battery
15.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 5 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
5.2 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.0
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.5
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and MSI GP66 Leopard 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.
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.9
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) with Apple's M2 CPU and integrated GPU, excels in screen quality and silent operation, making it suitable for design tasks where color accuracy and low distraction are key, but it has less RAM and storage compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard which is equipped with an Intel processor and Nvidia RTX GPU, offering superior performance for engineering software that requires high-end computing power. The MacBook Air is lighter and thus more portable, but has fewer ports and upgrade options, whereas the MSI GP66 Leopard's heavier build and louder fan noise are tradeoffs for its expandability and higher capacity, which could be crucial for demanding engineering projects.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | MSI GP66 Leopard |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | May 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 65 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 | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 0 | |
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)
See more
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 GP66 Leopard
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | December 2021
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) vs. Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) vs. Apple MacBook Air (2022)
VS
Compare MSI GP66 Leopard vs. HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
VS
Compare MSI GP66 Leopard vs. Acer Swift 14
VS
Compare MSI GP66 Leopard vs. Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,395
Recommendations made
22,403
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
