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Recently, after testing two MacBook Air models running Windows 7, we published results that showed the thin and light Apple laptops outperformed most Windows-based netbooks and ultraportable notebooks. Hundreds of readers commented on the article, with many of the comments going something like this: “The MacBook Air costs far more than many of the laptops you’ve compared it against. How does it do against similarly priced notebooks?”

It’s a reasonable question, so we went back and did the comparison. (Our results are illustrated in the charts below.) The numbers show that many Windows notebooks that carry a similar price tag outperform the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models we tested. Other differences show up, too. Many of the better-performing Windows laptops are bigger and heavier than the Air, and some have poorer battery life. But if you’re interested in getting the most pop possible for your buck, it’s clear that the MacBook Air isn’t the best way to go.