Apple MacBook Air 13" M3 vs Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 16 (2024)
The Verdict
MacBook Air M3 excels as a ultraportable content creation machine, weighing just 1.24kg with exceptional 18-hour battery life and macOS optimization. Its 13.6" Liquid Retina display delivers vibrant colors, while 8GB RAM and M3 chip handle everyday tasks, creative work, and coding smoothly. Legion Pro 5i dominates as a gaming and power-user workstation,16" 240Hz display, 32GB DDR5 RAM, Intel i9-14900HX processor, and 1TB storage crush demanding applications. However, at 2.49kg with 5-hour gaming battery, it sacrifices portability. Choose MacBook Air M3 if you prioritize thinness, battery life, and Apple ecosystem integration; select Legion Pro 5i for gaming, professional rendering, video editing, and multitasking where raw horsepower justifies the weight penalty.
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 Legion Pro 5i 16 (2024) if…
- →RTX 4070 with high TGP delivers excellent 1440p gaming
- →32 GB DDR5 RAM and 1 TB SSD in base config
- →240Hz QHD+ display with 500-nit brightness
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 Legion Pro 5i 16 (2024)
Pros
- RTX 4070 with high TGP delivers excellent 1440p gaming
- 32 GB DDR5 RAM and 1 TB SSD in base config
- 240Hz QHD+ display with 500-nit brightness
- Excellent thermal performance thanks to Legion Coldfront cooling
- Solid port selection with four USB-A ports
Cons
- Heavy at 2.49 kg — not ideal for daily carry
- Battery life plummets under gaming load
- Design is gamer-focused — not discrete in professional settings
- Loud fans at sustained loads
- Requires large power adapter
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13" M3 | Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 16 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.24 kg | 2.49 kg |
| Material | Aluminum unibody | Aluminum lid with plastic base |
| Dimensions | 304.1 x 215.0 x 11.3 mm | 358.0 x 264.9 x 21.5 mm |
| Ports | ||
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 2 | 1 |
| HDMI | — | 1 |
| USB-A ports | — | 4 |
| USB-C ports | — | 1 |
| SD card | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours wireless web | Up to 5 hours gaming |
| Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 99.9 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 13.6 inches | 16.0 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina IPS LED | IPS QHD+ 240Hz |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 2560 x 1600 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 240Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 500 | 500 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 256 GB | 1 TB NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Touch Bar | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 8 GB unified | 32 GB DDR5 |
| Cores | 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU | 24-core (8P+16E) |
| Chipset | Apple M3 | Intel Core i9-14900HX |
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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 Legion Pro 5i 16 (2024).