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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is less expensive, lighter, and offers a longer battery life than the Razer Blade 14, making it a great choice for general use, especially if you value portability and prefer a Mac operating system. It also operates silently without fans. On the other hand, the Razer Blade 14 is more suited for high-performance tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, thanks to its more powerful AMD processor and higher-end Nvidia RTX GPU. It is a better fit if you need more storage and RAM, as well as a higher screen refresh rate, at the cost of additional weight and higher price. 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
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Razer Blade 14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.9
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Razer Blade 14 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.
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.4
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Razer Blade 14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Razer Blade 14 is considered very good for engineering and design use because it features a more powerful AMD processor and Nvidia graphics, as well as twice the RAM and storage compared to the Apple MacBook Air 15, which while having a good screen and silent operation due to the Apple M2 chip, offers less raw power which is crucial for demanding engineering tasks. While both have high-quality screens, the MacBook Air’s portability and battery life are superior; however, professionals might prefer the Razer’s better performance for intensive tasks despite its increased weight and lower battery life.
Screen Quality
7.8
8.0
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
328.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Razer Blade 14 for software development, while the Razer Blade 14 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air's high-resolution and bright display makes it ideal for general use, offering crisp visuals and easy readability in various lighting conditions. For engineering and design work, its wide color gamut ensures accurate color representation, vital for professionals in those fields. However, for 3D applications where smooth motion is paramount, its lower refresh rate may not deliver the fluid experience desired by users focused on gaming or real-time rendering. Similarly, the Razer Blade 14 offers a sharp, bright display for everyday tasks and precise color for creative work, but its refresh rate may fall short for the high-speed action seen in gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
15.0 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 14 has 9.5 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
Very Good
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.9 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Razer Blade 14 both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Razer Blade 14 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
$1,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Razer Blade 14 costs $1,900.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.1
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
328.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Razer Blade 14 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers a balance of performance and portability with its Apple M2 processor and lightweight design, making it a solid choice for general use; its longer battery life and silent fanless design are advantageous for extended, quiet operation.
Content Creation
8.0
8.1
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 14 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very good for content creation.
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
7.9
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for software development, while the Razer Blade 14 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Razer Blade 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | Razer Blade 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $1,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 12.6'' x 8.7'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 3.92 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 12.59" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 8.66" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 9.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 62 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 328 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.2/10 | |
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 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
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."
Razer Blade 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"After making a huge splash with the original 2021 model, it's expected that the 2022 refresh would be more of a minor update to an already impressive machine. It adds a higher resolution webcam (720p to 1080p), faster CPU (Ryzen 9 5900HX to Ryzen 9 6900HX), faster GPU (RTX 3070/3080 to 3070/3080 Ti), faster RAM (DDR4-3200 to DDR5-4800), faster M.2 SSD support (PCIe3 x4 to PCIe4 x4), newer WLAN module (Killer AX1690i to Qualcomm WCN685x), and a MUX switch for the new integrated Radeon 680M GPU. It's indubitably an upgrade especially in terms of single-thread processor performance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Razer Blade 14
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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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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