Choosing between the MacBook Air and the Lenovo ThinkBook will largely depend on your preferences for operating systems and usage. The MacBook Air, running macOS, is known for its sleek design and strong integration with other Apple products, making it an excellent choice for those already in the Apple ecosystem. It offers a balance of performance and portability, ideal for general use, media consumption, and light creative work. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkBook, with Windows operating system, often appeals to business users and those who need compatibility with a wide range of software, especially for specific professional applications. Portability and build quality are high points for the ThinkBook too, and it may offer more customization options in terms of hardware. If you prioritize longer battery life and a lighter device for travel, the MacBook Air has a reputation for excelling in these areas. Remember to consider the software and compatibility with any peripherals you may need regularly. 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 Lenovo ThinkBook 13x
Very good overall display quality
Excellent portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.2/10
15.3in
SIZE
13.5in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x for software development, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x has a better screen for gaming and AI.
When considering laptops for general use, the Apple MacBook Air and Lenovo ThinkBook both excel due to their high resolution and bright displays, which enhance everyday activities like browsing and video streaming. For engineering and design tasks, both laptops offer displays with wide color gamuts, providing accurate color reproduction essential for professional creative work. However, for 3D applications, which demand fast refresh rates for smooth visuals, both the MacBook Air and ThinkBook fall short, as they prioritize resolution and color accuracy over the higher refresh rates favored in gaming and 3D modeling.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x has 8 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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 Lenovo ThinkBook 13x costs $1,399.
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air offers a high-quality screen and long battery life, making it ideal for daily tasks, and its lightweight design enhances portability. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x, with a similar emphasis on CPU and RAM performance, grants efficient multitasking and also delivers on portability and battery life, albeit with differences in operating system and build that may sway user preference.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15, with its limited gaming compatibility and typically lower screen refresh rates, is suboptimal for gaming but meets basic requirements for casual 3D tasks thanks to a capable GPU. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x, with better screen refresh rates and a strong GPU, provides a smoother gaming experience and competent 3D performance, albeit both systems rely on CPUs and screen quality that are only moderately influential in these contexts.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
7.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air provides a high-quality screen and powerful CPU, RAM, and GPU configuration that are well-suited for demanding engineering software and design tasks, coupled with an operating system favored by many creatives. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x, while also offering solid performance components, shines with its portability and lower operating noise, making it a great choice for engineers and designers on the move who also appreciate a good typing experience and sound quality for presentations or media consumption.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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
8.1/10
7.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for software development, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
15.3in
SIZE
13.5in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkBook 13x to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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