Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) vs Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025): Which Laptop Should You Buy?
Quick Verdict
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 6.9 for the Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025), making it the stronger all-rounder. The Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025) is the cheaper option at $749. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the Aspire 5 15 (2025) can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Key Differences
- Faster overall: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (Geekbench multi 14,900 vs 7,200).
- Longer battery: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (18.4h vs 9.4h web).
- Lighter: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (1.51 kg vs 1.75 kg).
- Display: IPS (Liquid Retina) (Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)) vs IPS (Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025)).
- Cheaper: Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025) (saves about $900 CAD).
MacBook Air 15 (M4) vs Aspire 5 15 (2025): Full Breakdown
Performance: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the stronger performer, posting a multi-core Geekbench score of 14,900 against 7,200 for the Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025) — roughly 107% faster in CPU-heavy work like exports and compiling. In our 1080p gaming suite, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) averaged 38 FPS versus 16 FPS. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better pick if you game or edit video.
Battery and portability: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) lasts longer away from a charger, running 18.4 hours in our web-browsing test versus 9.4 hours. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is also easier to carry at 1.51 kg versus 1.75 kg, which matters if you commute or travel.
Display: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) uses a 15.3-inch IPS (Liquid Retina) panel (2880 x 1864, 60Hz), while the Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025) has a 15.6-inch IPS panel (1920 x 1080, 60Hz). The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) measured brighter at 482 nits, and covered 96% of DCI-P3 — relevant for outdoor use and colour work.
Price and value: the Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025) is the cheaper option in Canada, about $900 less than the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4). Weighed against our test scores (8.5 vs 6.9 overall), the Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025) offers the better value for the money, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the stronger laptop outright if budget is not the deciding factor.
For the complete testing data, read our full Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) review and Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025) review.
Where these laptops rank
Both the MacBook Air 15 (M4) and the Aspire 5 15 (2025) feature in these BestLaptop.ca rankings:
Winner by Use Case
Specs & Scores Comparison
| Spec | MacBook Air 15 (M4) | Aspire 5 15 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.5 ✓ | 6.9 |
| Price (CAD) | $1,649 | $749 ✓ |
| CPU | Apple M4 (10-core) | AMD Ryzen 5 8540U |
| GPU | Apple M4 GPU (10-core) | AMD Radeon 740M (integrated) |
| RAM | 16GB Unified LPDDR5x | 16GB DDR5 |
| Storage | 512GB | 512GB |
| Display | 15.3" IPS (Liquid Retina) | 15.6" IPS |
| Brightness | 482 nits ✓ | 268 nits |
| Battery (web) | 18.4 h ✓ | 9.4 h |
| Weight | 1.51 kg ✓ | 1.75 kg |
| Geekbench multi | 14,900 ✓ | 7,200 |
| Gaming (1080p) | 38 fps ✓ | 16 fps |
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 |
| Warranty | 1-year limited (AppleCare+ available) | 1-year limited |
Which Should You Buy?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 6.9 for the Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025), making it the stronger all-rounder. The Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025) is the cheaper option at $749. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the Aspire 5 15 (2025) can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy the MacBook Air 15 (M4) or the Aspire 5 15 (2025)?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 6.9 for the Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025), making it the stronger all-rounder. The Acer Aspire 5 15 (2025) is the cheaper option at $749. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the Aspire 5 15 (2025) can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Which is better for school?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for school.
Which is better for business?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for business.
Which is better for gaming?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for gaming.
Which is better for multimedia?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for multimedia.
Which is better for programming?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for programming.
Which is better for travel?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for travel.
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