Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (M5) vs Acer Aspire 16 AI

Buy the MacBook Air 13 if you want the lightest, quietest machine with the best build and the longest real-world battery life. Buy the Acer Aspire 16 AI if you want a bigger touchscreen, a 120Hz panel and Windows with Copilot+ features. The Air wins on build, resale and sustained performance; the Aspire wins on screen size, touch and ports. Reviewers call the Air a top-value ultraportable with a faster M5 chip and much more base storage, while Aspire owners praise speed for Office and browsing but say it is not for gaming or 3D modeling.

• Choose the MacBook Air 13 if you carry a laptop daily, want 18 hours of battery and a fanless, premium build, and your work is writing, browsing, coding or photo editing.
• Choose the Acer Aspire 16 AI if you want a 16-inch 120Hz touchscreen, Windows apps and Copilot+ features, and you mostly do Office work, browsing and video calls.