Snapdragon X Elite Laptop vs. Apple’s M3 MacBook Air: Which Reigns Supreme?

Are you in the market for a new laptop and torn between the Snapdragon X Elite Galaxy Book4 Edge and Apple’s M3 MacBook Air? We’ve got you covered with an in-depth comparison covering design, ports, displays, keyboards, trackpads, SSD performance, overall performance, and battery life. Let’s dive in to see which one holds the crown.

Key Takeaways

• Battery Life: The MacBook Air has a slightly better battery life.
• Performance: The M3 outshines the X Elite in single-core tasks and gaming, but the X Elite excels in multi-core tasks.
• Display: Samsung’s Super AMOLED display beats the MacBook’s LCD.
• Design and Build: Both are well-built with a sleek aluminum chassis.
• Ports: The Samsung offers more port options, including USB-A and microSD slots.
• Price: The MacBook Air is $150 more expensive when similarly spec’d.

Design and Build Quality

Both laptops sport a premium aluminum chassis, but the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge is larger with a 16-inch screen compared to the MacBook Air’s 15 inches.

Feature	Galaxy Book4 Edge	MacBook Air 15″
Dimensions	Larger footprint	Thinner and smaller
Weight	3.42 lbs	3.3 lbs
Battery Size	19% smaller	Larger watt-hours

Display Comparison

Samsung’s 16-inch Super AMOLED display is a standout with vibrant colors and deep blacks, thanks to its 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. The MacBook Air’s 15-inch LCD panel, although bright at 500 nits, cannot match the color depth and fluidity of Samsung’s display.

• Samsung: Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 400 nits, better for HDR
• Apple: LCD, 60Hz, 500 nits, less vibrant colors

Port Selection

Samsung wins with a more versatile port selection, including USB-A, HDMI, and microSD, alongside two USB 4 ports. The MacBook Air offers MagSafe 3, two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports, and a headphone jack.

Feature	Galaxy Book4 Edge	MacBook Air 15″
MagSafe	No	Yes
USB-C/Thunderbolt	2 (USB 4)	2 (USB 4, Thunderbolt)
Additional Ports	HDMI, USB-A, microSD	None

Keyboard and Trackpad

The MacBook Air’s Magic Keyboard and force touch trackpad offer a superior typing and navigation experience. The Samsung’s traditional keyboard and diving board-style trackpad feel less refined in comparison.

• MacBook Air: Magic Keyboard, force touch trackpad
• Samsung: Traditional keyboard, diving board trackpad

Audio and Webcam

In terms of audio, the MacBook Air’s six-speaker system delivers richer and fuller sound compared to Samsung’s. The webcam and microphone quality are competitive, but the MacBook Air has a slight edge in clarity.

Performance

CPU and GPU Benchmarks

Geekbench 6:

• Single-Core: MacBook Air (3000+ points) is 88.5% faster than Samsung.
• Multi-Core: Samsung (14.5% faster).

Cinebench R23:

• Multi-Core: Samsung leads with 969 points, 64% faster than the MacBook Air.

Real-World Tests

• Speedometer 3.0 (Web Performance): MacBook Air is 37% faster.
• 3DMark (Graphics Performance): MacBook Air delivers 46% higher FPS.
• Blender (Rendering): MacBook Air is three times faster due to better GPU acceleration.

Storage Performance

• Samsung: Faster read speeds.
• MacBook Air: Faster write speeds.

Lightroom Export

• Samsung: Faster export in native ARM64 Lightroom.
• MacBook Air: Faster in Lightroom Classic (x86 emulation).

Battery Life

After extensive testing, the MacBook Air has a slight advantage in battery life, ending with 48% remaining compared to Samsung’s 40%.

Conclusion

MacBook Air 15″

• Pros: Superior single-core performance, better gaming and rendering, richer audio, superior keyboard and trackpad, better battery life.
• Cons: More expensive, fewer port options.

Galaxy Book4 Edge

• Pros: Better multi-core performance, more versatile port selection, superior display, excellent value for the specs.
• Cons: Weaker GPU, louder fans, inferior trackpad.

Both laptops offer unique strengths. If you prioritize single-core performance, superior display, and better battery life, the MacBook Air is your choice. However, if you need better multi-core performance, more ports, and a great display at a lower price, the Galaxy Book4 Edge is an excellent option.

Which one suits your needs? Share your thoughts in the comments below!