Vaio FS 14 Touch vs Apple 15" MacBook Air (M4)

The MacBook Air M4 is the better laptop for most people: the M4 chip beats the Core Ultra 7 155H in single-core work, the fanless 15.3-inch Liquid Retina screen is sharper and larger, and battery life runs longer in real use. The Vaio FS 14 wins on ports and security: it has a touchscreen, HDMI, Ethernet, an SD slot, a fingerprint reader and a Windows Hello camera, where the Air has only two Thunderbolt 4 ports and Touch ID. Build is a close call, but the Air's aluminum unibody and silent design draw fewer complaints from owners than the Vaio's older chassis. Buy the Vaio if you need Windows, a touchscreen or built-in wired networking; buy the Air for performance, screen and battery.

• Choose the Vaio FS 14 if you need Windows 11, a touchscreen, HDMI, Ethernet and an SD slot in one 3.5 lb machine.
• Choose the MacBook Air M4 if you want the fastest chip in this pair, a bigger sharper screen and the longest battery life, and can live with two USB-C ports.