If you prioritize a slim design and seamless integration with other Apple products, the MacBook Air could be an excellent choice, especially if you are already in the Apple ecosystem. The Air typically has a reliable battery life and is great for everyday tasks like browsing, multimedia consumption, and document editing. However, if you need a laptop with a focus on power for tasks such as 3D rendering, video editing, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI Prestige with its stronger processing capabilities may be more appropriate despite being more expensive and possibly having a shorter battery life. The Prestige might also offer more ports and better upgradeability but could be heavier and less portable compared to the MacBook Air. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
8.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo outshines the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) for general use due to its superior OLED screen, a more robust Intel processor, and significantly more RAM, which greatly enhance multitasking and general performance. Although the MacBook Air boasts a higher quality keyboard, silent operation, and slightly longer battery life, its less powerful CPU and lower RAM may limit performance for demanding tasks when compared to the MSI.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
8.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is considered very good for engineering and design use mainly due to its higher RAM, more powerful Intel Core processor and dedicated Intel Arc graphics, and an OLED screen with higher resolution, which is beneficial for detailed tasks requiring color accuracy and graphics performance. In comparison, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023), with its Apple M2 processor and GPU, offers a good balance of power suitable for various tasks, but with less RAM and a lower-resolution IPS screen, it's more suited for less intensive engineering and design work.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very good for content creation, though the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.4/10
15.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the MacBook Air 15's screen offers sharp images and vibrant colors due to its high resolution and brightness, making it pleasant for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design contexts, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo's screen excels with broader color coverage, ensuring that professionals see precise and consistent colors crucial for their work. However, both laptops are not optimal for 3D applications, as they lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth rendering of fast-moving visuals and a more immersive experience in gaming and 3D modeling.
Battery
15.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has 12 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
3.3 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,199
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,199 and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo costs $1,399.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 is less suited for 3D tasks due to its integrated GPU, which, while efficient, lacks the graphical prowess of dedicated gaming hardware, and the fact that many popular games are incompatible with MacOS. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo features a more powerful dedicated GPU, which excels at gaming and 3D applications, paired with a high-quality OLED screen, although both have equivalent screen refresh rates, which are fine for casual gaming but not optimal for high-end games that benefit from higher refresh rates.
Software Development
8.1/10
8.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very good for software development.
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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo compare to other laptops
"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."
"The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is meant to be a business-focused laptop, but it ends up being the MacBook challenger PC laptop enthusiasts have longed for. Not only can it meet and, in many cases, surpass the M2-powered MacBooks, but it is also surpassing the baseline M3 MacBooks, which is a giant leap forward for Intel-powered laptops. This isn’t hyperbole; this is what the numbers show."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
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.
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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