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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 6, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerAcer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
With its 15.6-inch display, it offers great 1080p gaming performance,. In real-world use, you'll appreciate the Acer's Thunderbolt 4 support for gaming and productivity, but it does fall short in display brightness at only 250 nits compared to the MacBook Air's stunning 500 nits. If you're looking for a lightweight laptop that handles creative tasks and multitasking like a champ, the MacBook is the no-brainer choice with its hardware-accelerated ray tracing capabilities.
📱 Display: 15.6" vs 13.6"⚡ Refresh: 144 Hz vs 60 Hz⚖️ Weight: 74.53 oz vs 43.74 oz
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Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
★5
(1)•Amazon
Processor:Intel Core i5-13420H (8-core: 4P + 4E), 2.10 GHz base, up to 4.60 GHz turbo
Graphics:NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (6 GB GDDR6; 75 W TGP)
AI Engine:No (Not supported)
Cooling:Dual-fan cooling system (2x intake, 4x exhaust)
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Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
★4.9
(2,424)•Best Buy
Processor:Apple M3 (8-core CPU: 4 performance + 4 efficiency)
Graphics:Apple M3 (8-core or 10-core GPU, depending on config)
AI Engine:16-core Neural Engine
Cooling:Passive (Fanless silent design)
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Key spec differences
Only the specs that differ are shown here. Winners are highlighted when the data is clear.
Winner= clear advantage
Spec
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
Display2 specs
Display SizeKey
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
15.6"Winner
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
13.6"
Refresh Rate
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
144 HzWinner
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
60 Hz
Performance2 specs
RAMKey
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
16 GB DDR5 (5200 MT/s effective)Winner
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
8 GB, 16 GB, or 24 GB Unified Memory
Storage
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
512 GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSDWinner
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB SSD
Battery1 specs
Battery CapacityKey
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
4-cell Li-Ion (57 Wh)
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
52.6 Wh (Lithium-polymer)
Design1 specs
Weight
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
2.11 kg (4.66 lbs)
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
1,240 g (2.7 lbs)Winner
Software1 specs
Operating System
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
Windows 11 Home
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
macOS (Sonoma or later)
Connectivity1 specs
Connectivity
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.1; Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45)
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3
+Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Expand
Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Comparison: Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
★5(1)Amazon
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
★4.9(2,424)Best Buy
| Criterion | Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★5(1)Amazon | ★4.9(2,424)Best Buy |
Processor | Intel Core i5-13420H (8-core: 4P + 4E), 2.10 GHz base, up to 4.60 GHz turbo | Apple M3 (8-core CPU: 4 performance + 4 efficiency) |
Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (6 GB GDDR6; 75 W TGP) | Apple M3 (8-core or 10-core GPU, depending on config) |
AI Engine | No (Not supported) | 16-core Neural Engine |
Cooling | Dual-fan cooling system (2x intake, 4x exhaust) | Passive (Fanless silent design) |
RAM | 16 GB DDR5 (5200 MT/s effective) | 8 GB, 16 GB, or 24 GB Unified Memory |
RAM Upgrade | Yes (2x SO-DIMM slots; user accessible) | No (Unified Memory architecture) |
Storage | 512 GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB SSD |
Storage Upgrade | Yes (2x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 slots) | No (Soldered) |
Display Size | 15.6" | 13.6" |
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 (FHD) | 2560 x 1664 (Native) |
Aspect Ratio | 16:9 | 16:10 (plus additional height for menu bar/notch) |
Screen Type | IPS (LCD; Matte; ComfyView) | Liquid Retina (IPS; LED-backlit) |
Refresh Rate | 144 Hz | 60 Hz |
Brightness | 250 nits (Typical) | 500 nits |
Color Gamut | 45% NTSC (Typical) | Wide color (P3) |
Keyboard Layout | US Standard (QWERTY) with Numeric Keypad | US English (Magic Keyboard) |
Keyboard Backlight | Yes (White backlight) | Yes (Ambient light sensor) |
Biometrics | No (Not supported) | Touch ID (Fingerprint reader) |
Webcam | 720p HD webcam with Temporal Noise Reduction (TNR) | 1080p FaceTime HD camera |
USB Ports | 1x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 / DisplayPort / Charging); 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (one with power-off charging) | 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 (Up to 40Gb/s; Charging; DisplayPort) |
Video Ports | 1x HDMI 2.1 | USB-C DisplayPort (Supports 1 external display up to 6K@60Hz; OR 2 external displays with lid closed) |
Audio Ports | 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack | 1x 3.5mm Headphone jack (Advanced support for high-impedance headphones) |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.1; Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45) | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3 |
Battery | 4-cell Li-Ion (57 Wh) | 52.6 Wh (Lithium-polymer) |
Charger | 135 W AC adapter (Barrel pin) | 30W (Base 8-core GPU model) or 35W Dual Port / 70W Fast Charger (Higher configs) |
Weight | 2.11 kg (4.66 lbs) | 1,240 g (2.7 lbs) |
Build Material | Plastic chassis (Obsidian Black) | 100% Recycled Aluminum enclosure |
Operating System | Windows 11 Home | macOS (Sonoma or later) |
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Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H
Rating:★5(1)Amazon
Processor:Intel Core i5-13420H (8-core: 4P + 4E), 2.10 GHz base, up to 4.60 GHz turbo
Graphics:NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (6 GB GDDR6; 75 W TGP)
AI Engine:No (Not supported)
Cooling:Dual-fan cooling system (2x intake, 4x exhaust)
RAM:16 GB DDR5 (5200 MT/s effective)
RAM Upgrade:Yes (2x SO-DIMM slots; user accessible)
Storage:512 GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD
Storage Upgrade:Yes (2x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 slots)
Display Size:15.6"
Resolution:1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Aspect Ratio:16:9
Screen Type:IPS (LCD; Matte; ComfyView)
Refresh Rate:144 Hz
Brightness:250 nits (Typical)
Color Gamut:45% NTSC (Typical)
Keyboard Layout:US Standard (QWERTY) with Numeric Keypad
Keyboard Backlight:Yes (White backlight)
Biometrics:No (Not supported)
Webcam:720p HD webcam with Temporal Noise Reduction (TNR)
USB Ports:1x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 / DisplayPort / Charging); 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (one with power-off charging)
Video Ports:1x HDMI 2.1
Audio Ports:1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Connectivity:Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.1; Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45)
Battery:4-cell Li-Ion (57 Wh)
Charger:135 W AC adapter (Barrel pin)
Weight:2.11 kg (4.66 lbs)
Build Material:Plastic chassis (Obsidian Black)
Operating System:Windows 11 Home
✓ Pros:
- • Thunderbolt 4 support (rare in budget gaming laptops)
- • Good 1080p gaming performance with RTX 4050 and DLSS 3
- • Excellent upgradeability (2x RAM slots, 2x M.2 slots)
- • Clean, understated design compared to typical gaming laptops
✗ Cons:
- • Display has poor color accuracy (45% NTSC) and low brightness
- • All-plastic build feels budget-oriented
- • Fans can get quite loud under heavy load
- • No SD card slot
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Check Price on Amazon→
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
Rating:★4.9(2,424)Best Buy
Processor:Apple M3 (8-core CPU: 4 performance + 4 efficiency)
Graphics:Apple M3 (8-core or 10-core GPU, depending on config)
AI Engine:16-core Neural Engine
Cooling:Passive (Fanless silent design)
RAM:8 GB, 16 GB, or 24 GB Unified Memory
RAM Upgrade:No (Unified Memory architecture)
Storage:256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB SSD
Storage Upgrade:No (Soldered)
Display Size:13.6"
Resolution:2560 x 1664 (Native)
Aspect Ratio:16:10 (plus additional height for menu bar/notch)
Screen Type:Liquid Retina (IPS; LED-backlit)
Refresh Rate:60 Hz
Brightness:500 nits
Color Gamut:Wide color (P3)
Keyboard Layout:US English (Magic Keyboard)
Keyboard Backlight:Yes (Ambient light sensor)
Biometrics:Touch ID (Fingerprint reader)
Webcam:1080p FaceTime HD camera
USB Ports:2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 (Up to 40Gb/s; Charging; DisplayPort)
Video Ports:USB-C DisplayPort (Supports 1 external display up to 6K@60Hz; OR 2 external displays with lid closed)
Audio Ports:1x 3.5mm Headphone jack (Advanced support for high-impedance headphones)
Connectivity:Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3
Battery:52.6 Wh (Lithium-polymer)
Charger:30W (Base 8-core GPU model) or 35W Dual Port / 70W Fast Charger (Higher configs)
Weight:1,240 g (2.7 lbs)
Build Material:100% Recycled Aluminum enclosure
Operating System:macOS (Sonoma or later)
✓ Pros:
- • Significantly faster M3 chip with hardware-accelerated ray tracing
- • First MacBook Air to natively support two external monitors (in clamshell mode)
- • Completely silent fanless operation
- • Exceptional build quality with a bright 500-nit P3 display
- • MagSafe 3 charging frees up both Thunderbolt ports for peripherals
✗ Cons:
- • Base model starts with only 8GB RAM and 256GB storage (slow SSD speeds on 256GB)
- • Limited to 60Hz refresh rate (no ProMotion 120Hz)
- • Zero user-upgradeability for RAM or storage
- • Thermal throttling can occur under sustained heavy workloads due to lack of fans
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Which one is better?
Grab the Acer if you want 16GB of RAM and plan to upgrade your storage - it's a more budget-friendly choice.
Who should buy each?
Choose the Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H if: you want a powerful gaming laptop for 1080p gaming, you need upgradeable RAM and storage, or you want Thunderbolt 4 support.
Choose the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024) if: you need a lightweight, portable laptop for creative tasks, you prioritize battery life for all-day use, or you want a top-notch display for photography. (13.6" display, 60 Hz refresh)
Conclusion
We hope this comparison helps you buy with confidence. Both products are dependable; the right one depends on how you will use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Acer Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop i5-13420H excels if you value thunderbolt 4 support (rare in budget gaming laptops). Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024) is better if you prioritize significantly faster m3 chip with hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
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