Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) (15.4" 2026) vs Dell DB14250

Benchmark-weighted head-to-head · data updated 2026-09-10

Winner: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) (15.4" 2026)

Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) (15.4" 2026) takes 9.3 weighted points vs 5.5, winning on CPU Benchmark, Pixel Density, Weight. The winner also sits in a more competitive value tier — a clear-cut call.

Winner
Highly Rated

Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) (15.4" 2026)

Apple M5 (10 Core) · Integrated (Apple iGPU)

Under $1400
4.8 (734)
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VS

Dell DB14250

Intel Core Ultra 9 288V · Integrated (Intel iGPU)

Under $1500
4 (71)
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Use-Case Scores

CategoryMacBook Air 15 (M5) (15.4" 2026)DB14250
Gaming3.1/103.2/10
Productivity5.8/105.4/10
Programming5.3/105.6/10
Engineering / 3D4/104.3/10
Student6.1/105.6/10
Travel / Portability7.2/106.3/10
AI Workloads3.6/104.2/10
Value for Money5.5/105.6/10

Detailed Specification Comparison

SpecMacBook Air 15 (M5) (15.4" 2026)DB14250
CPUApple M5 (10 Core)Intel Core Ultra 9 288V
PassMark Score27,32219,876
CPU Cores4P+6E4P+4E
GPUIntegrated (Apple iGPU)Integrated (Intel iGPU)
G3DMark Score——
RAM16 GB DDR532 GB DDR5
RAM UpgradeableNo (soldered)No (soldered)
Storage512 GBSSD1 TBSSD
Display15.3″ Liquid Retina14″ IPS
Resolution2880x18642560x1600
Refresh Rate60 Hz60 Hz
Pixel Density224 PPI216 PPI
TouchscreenNoNo
Weight3.32 lbs3.42 lbs
Thickness0.45″0.67″
Amazon Rating4.8 ★ (734)4 ★ (71)
Value Score5.5/105.6/10

CPU Comparison

The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) (15.4" 2026)'s Apple M5 (10 Core) is ~37% faster in multi-threaded PassMark (27,322 vs 19,876). Noticeable in sustained workloads, less so in everyday browsing.

GPU & Gaming

Neither carries a dedicated GPU — both fine for esports at low settings, neither for modern AAA gaming.

Productivity & Battery

Office scores: 5.8/10 vs 5.4/10. Battery isn't in our dataset, but both share a similar power class, so expect comparable endurance.

Display

MacBook Air 15 (M5) (15.4" 2026): 15.3″ Liquid Retina 2880x1864 @ 60 Hz. DB14250: 14″ IPS 2560x1600 @ 60 Hz. Panel quality is effectively even.

RAM, Storage & Upgradeability

MacBook Air 15 (M5) (15.4" 2026): 16 GB DDR5 (soldered) + 512 GBSSD. DB14250: 32 GB DDR5 (soldered) + 1 TBSSD.

Build & Portability

3.32 lbs / 0.45″ vs 3.42 lbs / 0.67″. Effectively identical to carry. Travel scores: 7.2 vs 6.3.

Value

Value scores land 5.5/10 vs 5.6/10. The Dell DB14250 extracts more performance per dollar.

Final Verdict

Buy the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) (15.4" 2026) — it wins the weighted spec battle and costs less. Choose the Dell DB14250 only if budget matter more to you.

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Also Consider

More on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) (15.4" 2026)

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