How does Apple's initial Silicon chip compare to the x86 architecture?
Apple M1 Chip: Comprehensive Overview
The Apple M1 chip, Apple's in-house silicon, has officially hit the market, and initial reviews and benchmarks are starting to surface. We're gathering all the key details in one convenient place, which we'll continue to update as more information becomes available.
If you're interested in the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, check out our dedicated guide.
Apple M1 Cheat Sheet: Key Details at a Glance
- Release Date: Shipped Week of 11/16
- Found in: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, iPad
- Architecture: Arm-based
- CPU Cores: 8-core CPU
- Nm Process: 5nm
- Graphics: Integrated 8-core GPU with 2.6 teraflops of throughput
- Memory: 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR4X-4266 MHz SDRAM
Apple M1 Release Date The first computers featuring Apple's M1 chip are already available. To experience it, you have three options: the new MacBook Air, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, or the Mac Mini. Each of these devices offers two configurations with the M1 chip. The MacBook Pro still offers two Intel configurations, while the Mac Mini has one Intel processor option.
Apple has also announced the upcoming release of the M1 iMac and M1 iPad, which are designed from the ground up with the M1 in mind. These products feature new, thinner chassis designs thanks to the M1's increased efficiency. Pre-orders for these new M1 products began on April 30th, with shipments starting in May.
Apple M1 Price The M1 is exclusively available in Apple's devices and not as a standalone chip. Pricing varies based on the specific product and configuration.
- The Mac Mini starts at $699 with 256GB of storage, making it the most affordable way to get an M1 processor. Prices range up to $2,099, which is the cost of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with 2TB of storage.
Pricing depends on your chosen configuration, but so far, M1 Macs don't seem significantly more expensive than their Intel counterparts. For example, a configuration of the M1 MacBook Air that closely resembles the Intel MacBook Air from last year is priced at $1,249, $50 cheaper than the previous version. The starting price of $999 remains unchanged.
Apple M1 Specs Now, let's dive into the heart of the M1 chip. What sets Apple's new Arm-based chip apart from Intel's x86 architecture?
- The M1 chip uses a 5nm process, whereas Intel's 7nm process isn't expected to debut until at least 2022. The M1's CPU boasts 8 cores, a feature that typically requires transitioning to Intel's H-series product stack for mobile chips.
- The M1's 8 cores are divided into 4 high-power performance cores and 4 low-power efficiency cores, maintaining a 10W thermal envelope overall. The low-power cores consume a fraction of the power needed for the high-power cores. The chip also boasts a total of 16 billion transistors.
- As a system-on-chip (SOC), the M1 incorporates integrated graphics and onboard memory. The GPU features 8 cores with 128 total compute units and 2.6 teraflops of throughput. However, it's worth noting that the entry-level MacBook Air utilizes a version of the M1 with a 7-core GPU.
- The M1 chip introduces 'unified memory,' eliminating the need for separate RAM. Devices are available with either 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR4X-4266 MHz SDRAM, depending on the model.
- Additionally, the M1 features a dedicated 16-core neural engine designed for machine learning tasks.
Taking a Peek Inside the M1: Unveiling the Chip's Hidden Design
Ever wondered what the Apple M1 chip looks like under the hood once you remove the top and thermal paste? It's a sight to behold, with the Apple logo adding a nice touch. Although most users may never see it, the attention to detail is unmistakable.
For comparison, take a look at Apple's official representation of the chip on its website
You might have observed that the chip looks quite distinct in this view, primarily because it's fully enclosed. @technayle1 also provides images of the chip from the bottom, where the pin connectors are revealed, and these connectors seem to align more closely with Apple's promotional images.
Lastly, photos showcasing how the M1 chip appears when integrated into motherboards.
Apple M1 Native Performance
One notable limitation of the M1 chip is its different architecture and instruction set compared to Intel or AMD processors. As a result, it can't run x86 apps without emulation. Developers are actively working on M1-native versions of their software, such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite, including an M1-native Photoshop that boasts a 1.5x performance increase compared to the previous version on similarly configured previous-gen systems. However, early adopters may need to wait for the full potential of their new chips.
When the M1 chip can run natively, it exhibits impressive performance. For example, the M1 MacBook Air achieved Geekbench 5 results of 1,619 for single-core and 6,292 for multi-core. In comparison, the 2020 i7 MacBook Air scored 1,130 for single-core and 3,053 for multi-core. The Tiger Lake Dell XPS 13 9310 managed 1,496 for single-core and 5,254 for multi-core on Geekbench 5.0 benchmarks, while the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Extreme Gen 3 with an Intel Core i7-10850H chip scored 1,221 for single-core and 6,116 for multi-core.
The M1's single-core score even outperforms the 27-inch 2020 Core i9 iMac's single-core score, which reached only 1,246. While it falls short of the iMac's 9,046 multi-core score, the M1 delivers higher single-core performance than any Intel Mac, including desktops.
The Verge conducted its own tests using a MacBook Pro and Geekbench 5.3, with the review unit achieving scores of 1,730 for single-core and 7,510 for multi-core.
It's intriguing to consider how the M1 will compare to potential 8-core Tiger Lake chips in the future and AMD's new Ryzen 5000 processors, which are also aiming to challenge Intel's CPU dominance. For now, the M1 appears to be the fastest chip available for mobile devices like laptops and tablets, and in certain single-threaded tasks, it may even outperform Intel's new Rocket Lake desktop chips.
Apple M1 Emulated Performance
One significant drawback of the M1 is its inability to natively run x86 apps due to its new architecture. Instead, it must emulate them using Apple's Rosetta 2 tool. Emulating apps does lead to a performance hit.
Official reviews are reporting on emulation anecdotally, but user Geekbench results show that, even when emulating apps, the M1 chip still outperforms Intel counterparts. For example, a user test on November 14th involved an M1-equipped MacBook Air running the x86 version of Geekbench. It achieved a single-core score of 1,313 and a multi-core score of 5,888, representing about 79% of the native scores for the same machine, which were 1,687 for single-core and 7,433 for multi-core. Even the emulated scores surpass any other Intel Mac in single-core performance, including the 2020 27-inch iMac with a Core i9 processor. In terms of multi-core performance, it still exceeds the 3,067 score of the Core i7 2020 MacBook Air.
However, it's essential to note that performance can vary depending on the specific program. When The Verge tested the x86 version of Adobe Creative Cloud on its MacBook Pro review unit, they encountered a bug that consistently reduced export bitrate. While export times remained consistent even when running multiple 4K exports in a row, highlighting strong performance, it's a reminder that emulation has its limitations, even when benchmark results appear robust.
Once again, we eagerly anticipate seeing how the M1 chip compares to the latest Intel and AMD processors. As the M1 may not operate at its peak in emulation, other chip manufacturers may have opportunities to close the current performance gap in upcoming mobile chip releases.
Apple M1 Graphics Performance
With Apple M1-equipped machines entering the market, preliminary benchmark results are emerging on the GFXBench browser. While the 8-core, 128 CU, 2.6-teraflop chip cannot compete with recent behemoths like the RTX 3000 series, or even older high-end discrete GPUs like the GTX 1080, it outperforms older standards like the Radeon RX 560 and the GTX 1050 Ti.
In tests like the 1440p Manhattan 3.1.1, the Apple M1 achieved 130.9 frames per second, surpassing the 1050 Ti's 127.4 fps and the Radeon RX 560's 101.4 fps. In the more demanding Aztec Ruins High Tier test, the M1 achieved 77.4 fps, while the GTX 1050 Ti maxed out at 61.4 fps. The Radeon RX 560 performed best in this test with a score of 82.5 fps but generally exhibited lower frame rates in most tests.
Ars Technica reported that the M1 scored 11,476 points in 3DMark's Slingshot Extreme Unlimited GPU test, compared to the iPad Pro 2020's score of 9,978 and the iPhone 12 Pro's score of 6,226.
While it's challenging to assess overall chip performance based on online and mobile benchmarks, these results offer valuable insights. Reviews also provide anecdotal evidence, with Engadget noting that The Pathless runs at a solid 60 fps on its review MacBook Air, as does Fortnite at 1,400 x 900.
Which apps and games run natively?
To check whether your favorite apps and games run natively on Apple M1, some enthusiasts have created new databases to provide this information.
"IsAppleSiliconReady.com" is a website and Twitter feed created by Abdullah Diaa, listing popular plugins and programs and indicating whether they have native M1 support, need Rosetta 2 emulation, or are currently incompatible with the chip. It provides information on which versions of most listed programs support M1.
For gamers, @__tosh has built a Google Drive spreadsheet and a dedicated website, each with alphabetical lists of games that run on Apple M1 and how they operate. The spreadsheet offers comprehensive details, such as distribution methods, native or emulated status, supported resolutions, average fps scores, and anecdotal notes.
Most games are still emulated at this stage, but the spreadsheet shows that World of Warcraft, Stardew Valley, and Among Us already have native support, among others.
Apple M1 Battery Life
Despite packing more processing power, the M1 chip comes equipped with four low-power cores that enhance battery life. Apple claims that M1-equipped machines offer "the best battery life ever on a Mac" and tested this by wirelessly browsing the web with the brightness set to a specific level and playing FHD videos under the same brightness settings. Although these tests aren't comprehensive, reviews consistently place M1 Macs around or above current Intel counterparts in terms of battery life.
Engadget's battery benchmarks show that the M1 MacBook Air can last up to 16 hours and 20 minutes when looping an HD video. This is approximately 5 hours longer than the latest Intel MacBook Air and around 7 hours more than their own battery benchmark results for the latest Intel MacBook Air.
The Verge reported that the M1 MacBook Pro offers slightly less impressive battery life, achieving approximately 10 hours on a charge, which is expected given its higher power. The publication mentioned that it needed to run 4K YouTube videos on Chrome in the background to reduce the battery life to 8 hours.
For the MacBook Air, The Verge was less optimistic, achieving between 8 and 10 hours of sustained work.
macOS Big Sur, iPhone and iPad Apps
One of the notable features of the M1 chip is its ability to run apps designed for iPhones and iPads, thanks to the shared processor architecture. However, reviewers have expressed skepticism about the current implementation.
To access these programs, users must download them from the Mac App Store using a filter, as developers are not yet permitted to distribute iOS apps directly for more traditional systems. Many favorite apps are not available on the Mac due to developer opt-outs, including Gmail, Slack, and Instagram. Furthermore, apps that rely on touch input present challenges, requiring users to navigate through unintuitive "touch alternatives," like pressing space to simulate a tap in the center of a window or using arrow keys for swiping.
The Verge described the experience of using iOS apps on Mac as "messy" and "weird," particularly because the available apps are often not optimized for newer devices. While some apps, such as Overcast, work well, others like HBO Max are confined to a small window with no resizable options and limited fullscreen support.
Gaming with iOS apps also posed challenges, particularly regarding touchpad emulation for touchscreen controls. TechCrunch noted that using a trackpad to mimic touch gestures could be challenging. Despite some workarounds, such as emulating a virtual touchscreen with a mouse, the limitations of gaming on M1 are evident.
One significant limitation is the absence of touchscreen Macs, leaving iOS apps on M1 feeling somewhat like an afterthought. The lack of support from major developers may also be due to issues such as the absence of touchscreen support that need to
Intel's Performance Claims Against Apple M1
Intel has been making performance claims against Apple's M1 chip, challenging the M1's performance with some of its own tests. Intel claims a 30% performance advantage over a competing system with M1 based on WebXPRT3 and its internal real-world usage guideline (RUG) testing.
However, it's essential to consider that these claims contradict reviews and benchmarks that show the M1 offering impressive performance and efficiency in a real-world context. The actual performance can vary depending on the specific workload, applications, and optimization for the architecture.
Intel also asserts that its Core i7-1185G7 beats the M1 in tasks involving Adobe apps and AI tools from Topaz Labs, stating that it completed tasks six times faster than the M1. While it's plausible that Intel's processors could excel in some specific applications, the M1 has showcased remarkable performance across a range of tasks.
In gaming, Intel's benchmarks highlight games without Mac support as running at "0 fps" on the M1, suggesting a lack of compatibility. However, the M1 has already shown impressive gaming performance in various titles that are compatible with Apple's new architecture.
It's important to approach these claims with caution and consider that different benchmarks and tests can yield varying results. Ultimately, real-world performance is what matters most, and the M1 has generally received positive reviews and feedback for its performance and efficiency in everyday use.
Intel's criticism of Apple's performance on specific tests required for "Intel Evo" certification, which focuses on providing a better laptop experience, should be taken with some context:
- Task Simplicity: The tests include tasks like "switching to Calendar" in Outlook or "starting a video conference in Zoom." These are generally straightforward and run efficiently on most modern systems. Any differences in execution times are likely to be minimal and may not significantly impact real-world user experience.
- Test Variations: Intel hasn't provided detailed information about how these tests were conducted, making it challenging to assess their validity. Differences in test conditions, system configurations, and software versions can affect the results.
- Memory Configuration: Intel used a MacBook Pro with 8GB of RAM for this testing, whereas it used a system with 16GB when evaluating performance. The memory capacity can influence the performance of some tasks, and this change in configuration may have contributed to differences in the test results.
- Battery Life Comparison: Intel compared the Acer Swift 5 and MacBook Air in a battery life test, focusing on how long each laptop could run a Netflix stream alongside multiple browser tabs. The MacBook Air reportedly had a slight edge with 6 additional minutes of battery life. Keep in mind that battery life can be influenced by various factors, such as screen brightness, browser efficiency, and hardware optimizations. Small differences may not be significant in practice, especially when considering the overall efficiency of the M1 chip.
In summary, while Intel's claims highlight specific scenarios where it believes its platform performs better, it's crucial to interpret these findings in the context of real-world use cases and consider the wide range of tasks and applications that users encounter. Apple's M1 chip has generally received positive reviews for its excellent balance of performance and efficiency, offering a robust user experience across various tasks.
Indeed, Intel's inclusion of disclaimers and critiques in its performance tests is part of competitive analysis and marketing. These disclaimers and criticisms highlight certain aspects where Intel's hardware and ecosystem differ from Apple's M1-based systems. Here's a breakdown of those points:
- Touchscreen and Form Factors: Intel mentioned the absence of touchscreens and varied form factor options on MacBooks. This observation reflects the different design philosophies of Intel-based PC manufacturers, which offer a wider range of laptop designs, including 2-in-1 convertibles with touchscreens. Users who prioritize touchscreens or specific form factors may find Intel-based PCs more accommodating.
- External Displays: Intel noted the challenge of using multiple external displays with Apple M1 devices. Some Intel-based PCs offer support for a greater number of external displays. Users with demanding multitasking needs involving multiple monitors may prefer systems that accommodate those requirements.
- x86 Emulation Limitations: Intel raised concerns about the limitations of x86 emulation on Apple M1 devices. Emulating x86 software can lead to reduced performance in some cases. As software developers optimize their applications for M1, the need for emulation may diminish. Users should consider their specific software requirements when evaluating M1-based systems.
Ultimately, the choice between Apple M1-based devices and Intel-based PCs depends on individual preferences, needs, and the software ecosystem that supports their workflows. Each platform has its strengths and limitations, and users should consider these factors when making a decision. It's important to conduct comprehensive research and assess your specific computing requirements before choosing a device.
