Apple MacBook Air 13" M3 vs Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 16"
The Verdict
MacBook Air M3 excels with superior display brightness (500 nits vs 350), exceptional portability at 1.24kg, and efficient M3 performance ideal for everyday tasks. IdeaPad 5 Pro counters with a larger 16-inch screen, faster 120Hz refresh rate, double the RAM (16GB vs 8GB), and double the storage (512GB vs 256GB) for $200 less. Battery life favors Apple at 18 hours versus Lenovo's 12 hours. Port connectivity differs significantly,MacBook offers Thunderbolt 2 and MagSafe, while Lenovo provides traditional USB-A, HDMI, and SD card reader for legacy accessory support. For creative professionals prioritizing thinness and battery efficiency, the MacBook Air M3 delivers premium engineering. However, budget-conscious users needing expansion capacity and a larger workspace should prefer the IdeaPad 5 Pro, which offers superior value despite the heavier chassis.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple MacBook Air 13" M3 if…
- →Light and portable at 1.24 kg
- →Excellent fanless M3 efficiency
- →Bright 500-nit Liquid Retina display
Buy the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 16" if…
- →2.5K 120Hz display is exceptional for a sub-$900 laptop
- →Ryzen 7 8845HS with Ryzen AI for local AI processing
- →75 Wh battery delivers genuine all-day use for productivity
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Air 13" M3
Pros
- Light and portable at 1.24 kg
- Excellent fanless M3 efficiency
- Bright 500-nit Liquid Retina display
- Up to 18 hours of battery life
- Supports two external displays with lid closed
Cons
- 8 GB base RAM increasingly limiting
- Only two Thunderbolt ports
- 256 GB SSD uses single NAND chip with slower speeds
- No high-refresh display
- Limited port selection
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 16"
Pros
- 2.5K 120Hz display is exceptional for a sub-$900 laptop
- Ryzen 7 8845HS with Ryzen AI for local AI processing
- 75 Wh battery delivers genuine all-day use for productivity
- Full-size HDMI and SD card reader — no dongles needed
- 16-inch display is ideal for split-screen multitasking
Cons
- 350-nit brightness is dim for outdoor use
- No Thunderbolt — USB-C only for charging and peripherals
- 4.41 lbs is heavier than ultrabook competitors
- No discrete GPU option for light gaming
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13" M3 | Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 16" |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.24 kg | 4.41 lbs (2.0 kg) |
| Material | Aluminum unibody | Aluminum |
| Dimensions | 304.1 x 215.0 x 11.3 mm | 14.06 x 9.99 x 0.68 inches |
| Ports | ||
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 2 | — |
| HDMI | — | |
| USB-A ports | — | 1 |
| USB-C ports | — | 2 |
| SD card | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours wireless web | Up to 12 hours |
| Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 75 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 13.6 inches | 16 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina IPS LED | IPS |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 2560 x 1600 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 500 | 350 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 256 GB | 512 GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Touch Bar | — | |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 8 GB unified | 16 GB DDR5 |
| Cores | 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU | 8 cores / 16 threads |
| Chipset | Apple M3 | AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
Explore more in laptops, see all Apple products or all Lenovo products. View full details for the Apple MacBook Air 13" M3 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 16".