Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) vs Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i
The real choice here is the system: the Apple MacBook Air 13 runs macOS and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i runs Windows. On the specs, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i has the edge: it has more memory and has more storage.
We earn a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This never affects our specs. How we make money.
Key differences
- Operating system Depends on you
They run different systems: the Apple MacBook Air 13 runs macOS and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i runs Windows. Pick the one that runs the apps you rely on.
- Memory Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i wins
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i has 32 GB of memory against 16 GB, so it has more room for big projects and heavy multitasking.
- Storage Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i wins
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i has twice the storage: 1 TB against 512 GB.
- OLED screen Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i wins
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i has an OLED screen, with true blacks and richer colour than the Apple MacBook Air 13's LCD.
- Sharpness Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i wins
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i's screen is sharper: 4K against 2.5K.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the Apple MacBook Air 13 if…
- You own an iPhone or prefer a Mac: it runs macOS and works smoothly with Apple devices.
- You prefer the newer model: it came out in 2026.
- You want a slim laptop that slips into a bag: it's 11.3 mm thick.
Choose the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i if…
- You need Windows programs or want to play PC games: it runs Windows 11, which runs almost anything.
- You keep lots of tabs and apps open: 32 GB of memory gives it more room.
- You store lots of photos, videos or games: it has 1 TB of storage.
- You watch a lot of films and video, or edit photos: its OLED screen has true blacks and rich colour.
- You read, write or edit photos a lot: its 4K screen makes text and images crisper.
Full spec comparison
Add more laptopsThe Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i leads on performance and the screen; elsewhere the two are closely matched. Highlighted values mark the better spec in each row, and you can hide the rows where they match.
Performance
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is ahead on performance.
It has more memory and has more storage, and the Apple MacBook Air 13 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) | Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M5 | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V |
| Graphics | Apple M5 8-core GPU | Intel Arc Graphics 140V |
| AI engine (NPU) | — | 47 TOPS |
| Memory (RAM) | 16 GB | 32 GB |
| Memory type | — | LPDDR5X-8533 |
| Maximum memory | 16 GB | 32 GB |
| Memory upgrades | Soldered (not upgradeable) | Soldered (not upgradeable) |
| Storage | 512 GB | 1 TB |
| Storage type | SSD | SSD |
| Storage interface | — | PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2242 |
| Storage slots | 0 | 1 |
Screen
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is ahead on the screen.
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i has a slightly bigger screen: 14" against 13.6". It has an OLED screen, has a sharper screen and has a brighter screen, and the Apple MacBook Air 13 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) | Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 13.6" | 14" |
| Resolution | 2.5K (2560 x 1664) | 4K (3840 x 2400) |
| Aspect ratio | — | 16:10 |
| Panel | IPS | OLED |
| Refresh rate | — | 120 Hz |
| Brightness | 500 nits | 600 nits |
| Colour range | Wide colour (P3) | 100% DCI-P3 |
| HDR | None | VESA DisplayHDR True Black 600, Dolby Vision |
| Finish | — | Glossy |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes |
Battery and size
The Apple MacBook Air 13 is ahead on battery and weight.
It is slimmer, and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) | Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life (maker claim) | Up to 18 hours | Up to 17.42 hours |
| Battery capacity | 53.8 Wh | 75 Wh |
| Charger | — | 65 W |
| Charges via | MagSafe 3 or USB-C | USB-C |
| Fast charging | Fast-charge capable with 70 W or higher USB PD power source | Rapid Charge Express: 3 hours of runtime from a 15-minute charge |
| Weight | 1.23 kg | 1.23 kg |
| Dimensions | 304.1 x 215 x 11.3 mm | 312.93 x 203.5 x 14.55 mm |
| Materials | 100% recycled aluminium enclosure | Aluminium + 2.5D glass (top), aluminium (bottom) |
| Durability | — | MIL-STD-810H |
| Colour | Sky Blue | Tidal Teal |
| Colours available | Sky Blue, Silver, Starlight, Midnight | Tidal Teal |
Ports and wireless
Both have much the same ports and wireless.
You can plug in the same things on either.
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) | Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C; charging, DisplayPort, USB 4 up to 40Gb/s), 1x MagSafe 3 (charging), 1x 3.5 mm headphone jack | 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB4 40Gbps, USB PD charging, DisplayPort 2.1) |
| Thunderbolt / USB4 | 2x Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 40Gbps | Thunderbolt 4 |
| External displays (max) | 2 | 2 |
| Card reader | None | None |
| Ethernet | None | None |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Wi-Fi card | Apple N1 | — |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 6 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Mobile data | None | None |
Features
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is ahead on extras.
It has Copilot+ AI features, and the Apple MacBook Air 13 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) | Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i |
|---|---|---|
| Webcam | 1080p | 1080p (32MP), camera under display |
| Webcam privacy | — | E-shutter (electronic switch on the chassis) |
| Backlit keyboard | Yes | Yes |
| Keyboard | backlit Magic Keyboard, 78 ANSI or 79 ISO keys, 12 full-height function keys, ambient light sensor | 6-row, 1.5 mm key travel, backlit, Copilot key |
| Login | Fingerprint | Fingerprint |
| Number pad | No | No |
| Touchpad | Force Touch trackpad with pressure sensing and Multi-Touch gestures | Buttonless glass multi-touch touchpad (Precision), 69 x 104 mm |
| Speakers | four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos | 4 stereo speakers (2x 3W woofers, 2x 2W tweeters), Dolby Atmos, Smart Amp |
| Microphones | three-mic array with directional beamforming | Quad-microphone array |
| Pen | No | No |
| Security | Touch ID | TPM 2.0 (firmware, in SoC), Fingerprint reader, E-shutter, Self-healing BIOS |
Software and model
They run different systems, so this comes down to the apps you use.
It is newer, and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) | Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS | Windows 11 Pro |
| Model number | MDHH4B/A | 83CX0006US |
| Released | 2026 | 2025 |