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Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) 24GB (2026) vs Lenovo Gen 12 ThinkPad X1 21KC000MUS

Every tracked spec, side by side. ★ marks the better value on rows where better is objectively defined — price, benchmark scores, RAM, brightness and weight. Rows without a star are shown without judgement.

Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) 24GB (2026)
Apple
MacBook Air 15 (M5) 24GB (2026)
$1,999
4.9 · 158 Amazon reviews
Check PriceFull specs →
Lenovo Gen 12 ThinkPad X1 21KC000MUS
Lenovo
Gen 12 ThinkPad X1 21KC000MUS
$2,299
4.5 · 111 Amazon reviews
Check PriceFull specs →

Summary

These two differ on 22 of 34 tracked specs, across Display, Processor, Physical, Ports, Wireless, Graphics and RAM.

Values are given in column order — Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) 24GB (2026) first, then Lenovo Gen 12 ThinkPad X1 21KC000MUS. Percentages express the gap relative to the lower of the two figures.

Where they differ

Price$300 · 15%
$1,999
$2,299
CPU Mark61%
27,322
16,974
RAM33%
24 GB DDR5
32 GB DDR5
Weight0.92 lb · 0.42 kg · 38%
3.32 lbs · 1.51 kg
2.4 lbs · 1.09 kg
Screen
15.3" · 2880x1864
14" · 1920x1200

Position across the catalogue

CPU Mark61% apart · 17% of the recorded range
27,322
16,974
1,770lowest and highest of 104 tracked laptops · cpubenchmark.net61,960
first column second column

The bar shows where each figure falls between the lowest and highest recorded in the catalogue. It is a position within real data — not a score, a grade or a rating.

Where they match

  • Graphics Both rely on integrated graphics.
  • Storage Both use 1 TB SSD.
  • Refresh rate Both run at 60Hz.

Not recorded

  • Neither has a G3D Mark on file, so there is no graphics benchmark comparison to make here.

Derived ratios

CPU Mark per dollar
13.7
7.4
Pixels per inchcalculated from the recorded resolution and screen size
224
162
CPU Mark per kg
18,094
15,572

Per-dollar ratios inherently favour cheaper machines, because performance scales sub-linearly with price: a lower price tends to produce a higher ratio regardless of absolute capability. Prices captured Aug 28, 2026.

Price

Price15% gap
$1,999
$2,299
Condition
New
New

Display

Size
15.3"
14"
Resolution
2880x1864
1920x1200
Refresh Rate
60Hz
60Hz
Panel Type
Liquid Retina
IPS
Brightness25% gap
500 nits
400 nits
Touchscreen
No
Yes

Processor

Brand
Apple
Intel
Model
M5 (10 Core)
Ultra 7 165U vPro
Cores
4P+6E
2P+10E
Multithreading
No
P Cores Only
PassMark Score (Multi-Threaded)61% gapSource: cpubenchmark.net
27,322
16,974

Graphics

GPU Brand
Apple (integrated)
Intel (integrated)
GPU Model
Integrated graphics
Integrated graphics
Type
Integrated
Integrated
G3D Mark (Laptop)Source: videocardbenchmark.net

RAM

Capacity33% gap
24 GB
32 GB
Type
DDR5
DDR5
Soldered
Yes
Yes
Free Slots
Soldered, no free slots
Soldered, no free slots

Storage

Capacity
1 TB
1 TB
Type
SSD
SSD

Ports

HDMI
None
1× 2.1
USB-C
2× Thunderbolt 4
2× Thunderbolt 4
USB-A
None
1× USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps)

Wi-Fi & Bluetooth

Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 6
Bluetooth 5.3

Physical

Weight38% gap
3.32 lbs
2.4 lbs
Thickness31% gap
0.45"
0.59"
Length
13.4"
12.31"
Width
9.35"
8.45"
Prices were last captured from Amazon and can change at any time — click through for the current price. Specs are recorded from manufacturer listings; benchmark scores © PassMark Software. Where a spec isn't confirmed it shows as "—" rather than a guess. LaptopMatrix publishes data, not opinions: no editorial scores, no verdicts, no sponsored placement.