When it comes to chips, there are two main types: Apple M1 Chip vs Intel. Both have their pros and cons, but which one is better? This article will compare the two types of chips and see which one comes out on top.
The new Apple M1 chip is a huge step forward for the company, and it provides some clear benefits over Intel chips. For one, the M1 is faster and more energy-efficient. It also has a unique security feature that helps protect your data.
From Intel to Apple M1 Chip: An Overview
What’s M1? And what’s the deal with Apple’s new processor. The M1 chip vs Intel debate may seem insignificant if you don’t understand it. Most consumers care only about performance in real life and not much about architecture.
The rise of Apple’s Silicon to desktop-class computing has significant consequences for the entire industry. This means that Apple is saying goodbye to the 14-year-old chips it used. We all know and love to see these Intel chips on our Apple and Windows computers.
Apple enthusiasts may have heard about the announcement when the company launched the new Macs. The M1 has first revealed the company through its new 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. It also featured this chip in the Mac Mini, 24-inch iMac, and iPad Pro. Product reviews and tests immediately after launch showed outstanding performance in terms of performance, graphics, and battery life.
These new M1-based devices have a higher performance than Apple’s previous computers and other Windows alternatives. These impressive results are made even more remarkable because Apple has chosen to run Intel-based software via emulation as they lack native support.
This led to many people making comparisons between M1 chips and Intel computers. The M1 chip and its successors have shown promising real-world tests and benchmarks performance. There are, however, a few drawbacks as with all things.
Understanding the M1: What Is a System on a Chip (SoC)?
Before we dive into the M1 chip debate vs Intel, let’s first explain the new Apple chips. The M1 is a system on chip (or SoC) that most industry professionals would know. The average person may not know the difference between an SoC or a regular processor.
What It Is
As the name suggests, An SoC is an integrated circuit with all its components on one chip. The CPU, GPU, and components are on a single chip. An SoC can perform many functions efficiently thanks to its condensed structure. It can perform all functions, including signal processing, artificial intelligence, wireless communication, etc.
However, most laptops and desktop computers do not use SoCs to perform tasks or process information. The motherboard usually houses multiple components located in different areas of the platform. The motherboard usually has a place and component for memory and storage.
The Pros & Cons
SoCs can make power used more efficiently. Because all the parts are contained in one chip, they take less space. SoCs are the reason that mobile processors use SoCs. There’s very little space to move.
The downside to SoCs is the irreplaceability of the components. You can’t replace any component of an SoC, even RAM or storage. This makes computers rigid and modular. Additionally, SoCs cannot perform the same tasks as desktop-specific processors. This is why many manufacturers don’t still use mobile processors for powering their computers.
Apple M1 Chip vs Intel: The Two Powerful Processors Compared
Background
How did we get to this point? Apple was long rumored as a company working on its processors to have the same control over the iPhone and iPad. Intel’s inability to shrink dies has been criticized. It was stuck with 14-nanometer nodes before switching to 10nm slower chips.
Things heated up in 2019 when Tim Cook blamed Intel chips shortages for declining Mac sales. A year later, Apple released the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with M1 chip chips, Apple’s custom ARM-based silicon. Apple’s debut of its first computer chips was the end of 14 years of collaboration between Intel and Apple. It wasn’t long before it became obvious that the divorce was not good.
Intel immediately went on the offensive, publishing benchmarks showing where its chips outperformed the M1. Shortly after that, the company launched a marketing campaign to convince customers to buy PCs. The campaign included bringing back the “I’m a Mac guy”; Justin Long, originally from Verizon, defected to Intel and PC. We all witnessed how well that worked.
Performance
Performance is the most important aspect of a processor to many customers. Intel’s “Core” processors were unmatched in mobile-chip performance for a long time (more than ten years).
The beginning of 2020 saw a significant shift in performance with AMD’s Ryzen 4000-series chips. These chips outperformed Intel’s dual 10th Generation (Ice Lake/Comet Lake) offerings in many tests and delivered excellent efficiency.
AMD tried to put Intel under pressure, but Apple delivered a devastating blow with its M1 processors. Our synthetic benchmark tests showed that the Apple Silicon, which powers the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, produced jaw-dropping results – even when running software through a Rosetta 2 translation layer. Developers optimize their software to run natively with ARM, and the M1 chip is now faster.
It’s not a close race when we consider raw speeds. Geekbench 5 is our benchmark for system performance. The benchmark was run through an emulator, and the MacBook Air with 16GB RAM scored a 5,962, which is higher than the XPS 13 (5.319) with 11th-Gen chips.
The MacBook Air was beaten by Lenovo’s Yoga 9i, which has the most powerful Intel chips of the 11th generation for ultraportable laptops. It scored 5,312.
The MacBook Air converted a 4K video to 1080p resolution within 9 minutes and 15 seconds, whereas the XPS 13 took 18 minutes 22 seconds, while the Yoga 9i took 14 mins and 24 seconds.
However, this doesn’t mean that the MacBook Pro or Air will outperform the fastest Windows 10 PCs in every application and tool. Intel has chosen areas where Intel-powered laptops perform better than the M1 Macs, as The Verge bluntly.
Intel claims that an unlisted system tested with an Intel Core i7-1185G7 CPU, 16GB RAM, and Google Chrome running Microsoft Office tasks was 30% faster than the M1 processor.
Core i7-1185G7 is also claimed to be six times faster than the M1 when using AI-based tools from Topaz Labs and around 1.7x faster for certain Adobe Premiere and Photoshop functions. These tests were performed using internal benchmarks, while others were conducted using third-party benchmarks. The M1 was able to outperform other Intel chips in our tests.
Intel Evo vs. Apple M1
Some laptops are awarded Intel Evo certification. This means they have passed various size, performance, and battery life benchmarks. Intel claims it tested one of the M1-equipped MacBook models, but it failed eight of 25 tests.
According to Intel, the MacBook failed to switch to the Calendar in Outlook or Zoom to start a video conference. It also failed to select the Picture menu in PowerPoint.
These tasks can be completed by any of the new MacBook Air and Pro models, but Intel claims they do not meet certain responsiveness thresholds. Intel does not support this claim. Our MacBook Pro flawlessly handled the Zoom function. We were able to log in quickly and load a call without hesitation.
Graphics
Although the latest MacBook models with M1 offer a surprising graphics performance, they rely on an integrated solution. But does this matter? You’ve heard it all before: a MacBook is not the best choice if you want to play games on your laptop. Instead, buy a Windows 10 computer with an AMD or discrete Nvidia GPU, or connect your ultraportable device to an eGPU.
These dedicated gaming systems will run your favorite triple-A titles at high resolutions with faster frames. You don’t have to worry about games not being compatible on your laptop.
You don’t have to be a Macbook Air or MacBook Pro owner if you want to play games. Rosetta 2 translation software, and games that run natively on ARM processors, you have a limited selection of games to choose from.
This includes Borderland 3, World of Warcraft, and Fortnite. Major releases will not run on a Mac, however. Our benchmarks show that games that require minimal graphics performance run well on lower settings.
Rise of the Tomb Raider (1440×900) was run on the MacBook Air at 29 frames per second using Very High graphics settings. This is playable but not at the 30-fps threshold.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1440×900) ran at 37 frames per second with the graphics set on Medium. This is the same speed as the Yoga 9i with Intel Iris Xe graphic (25 fps). However, it’s best to use a PC with discrete graphics or an eGPU.
Battery life
Intel tried to dampen the enthusiasm surrounding the MacBook Pro’s battery life. But this is not an easy fight.
Our battery tests have shown that Apple’s new laptops are amongst the most durable. The MacBook Pro survived for 16 hours and 32 mins. The MacBook Air came in second at 14 hours 41 minutes. These are the longest-running times we have ever seen on any laptop.
However, some Intel-powered laptops can last longer than others. Windows 10 laptops have the longest battery life. For example, the Latitude 9510 Dell laptop stayed charged for 18 hours and 17 mins, while the Asus ExpertBook B9450 was shut down after 16 and 42 minutes.
What is the problem with Intel? According to Intel, the chipmaker claims that Apple’s bold runtimes are exaggerated because tests were done with the screen at 150nits. Intel claims this is unrealistic. I agree. Our test shows that the screen is at 150 nits.
This is a fairly low brightness under most lighting conditions. According to Intel, the MacBook Pro could withstand 10 hours and 12 mins at 250 nits. This is 5 minutes less than the Acer Swift 5.
We have to say this, considering that our tests were run at 150 nits. If Intel wanted to highlight how long Intel-powered laptops can last, it would be able to find a laptop that has a longer battery life than the MacBook Pro.
Hardware Selection
An Intel-powered laptop offers a wide range of hardware options, compelling reason to buy one. Intel chips can be found in more systems than any other processor.
There is a good chance that an Intel CPU will be used if you purchase a laptop for business, gaming, dual-screen, ultraportable, or other purposes. This is true for Chromebooks, though AMD is getting in on the act.
Apple offers the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. These systems are premium and attractive but lack certain features that can be found on PCs. Apple has made it clear that they don’t want convertible laptops or touchscreens in MacBooks.
Notebooks such as the Spectre x360 14 and XPS 13 2-in-1 can be converted from laptops to tablets. The Surface Pro 7 and ThinkPad X12 Detachable, attached to a keyboard, convert from a tablet to a laptop. These notebooks are compatible with styluses, which is a huge advantage for artists. You’ll need to spend substantial cash on an iPad or MacBook for the same flexibility.
Gaming laptops that have discrete graphics can run Windows 10. Either Intel processors or AMD processors power them. This includes Alienware, Razer, and MSI systems, to name a few.
Intel systems are available in many categories. You can also choose the laptop you want based on what features and specifications you require. The MacBook Air and MacBookPro are premium laptops that appeal to the broadest range of users. However, there are some potential drawbacks.
These models lack ports, with both models relying upon Thunderbolt ports and an audio jack. Windows 10 systems are lighter and thinner than Apple laptops and include USB Type-A inputs and HDMI ports.
Apple’s options may be limited, but they are also costly. The MacBook Air, which starts at $999, is the most affordable option. A Windows 10 laptop can be purchased for as little as $999 and is quite capable. The HP Envy 13 is a good example.
Apple charges an upgrade fee, so you can expect to pay well over $1,000 to get a MacBook with sufficient storage and RAM. You can only have 16GB RAM on an M1 MacBook.
Software compatibility
The M1 runs on ARM architecture (arm64). It needs an emulator or a software translation layer to run Intel (x86-64) applications. Rosetta 2 is that translator. Based on our tests, it does a great job of providing compatibility without affecting performance.
The translation process is automated, so any apps on an Intel-powered MacBook Air or Pro will also work on the new MacBook Air and Pro. Rosetta 2 is a different case. While these types of translations can cause serious performance issues (see our Surface Pro X review), they are not a problem with Rosetta 2. The MacBook Air and Pro perform better than their counterparts in some situations, even though they have to run an unoptimized program through an emulator.
This is not always true. MacBook owners will want to know if a program runs natively or through an emulator. These systems rarely presented any major problems.
Chrome was slower than Safari on the Mac and the PC version before being optimized for native ARM use. After the update, those occasional glitches were fixed.
Adobe’s suite includes Lightroom, which runs natively on the M1 chips. Adobe also promises that its other software will be able to run natively (Premiere Pro for the M1 is in beta). Microsoft released native Office support on the M1 chip in December last year. This means that Excel and PowerPoint will run at maximum speed on M1-based systems.
Although this is not a Windows 10 vs. macOS comparison (stay tuned for that), the Mac-specific software Apple offers to MacBook users is worth mentioning. Apple iMovie, which is free and widely used by professionals, is considered the best video-editing software. Professionals have the option to spend $300 for Final Cut Pro.
What Makes the Apple M1 Chip So Fast?
Many modern smartphones and tablets run faster than desktop computers. It’s not a secret. One could argue that this is because mobile operating systems don’t require as much complexity.
The M1 is equally fast on laptops as it is on desktops. The M1 isn’t the first ARM-based processor that has been installed inside a laptop. Microsoft was the first to leap, adding a Qualcomm chip on the Surface Pro X. The emulation was not easy — perhaps that’s the key to the solution.
The Surface Pro X’s M1 and Qualcomm chips look very similar. Both use a 4-plus-4 core design that adds both high- and low-powered cores to the mix. Both have 16GB RAM, which is more than some Macs. They’re also both SoCs.
The only difference is in the emulator. Rosetta 2 is a smartly optimized emulator that allows you to run Intel apps on M1 Macs. The M1’s Windows counterpart also uses the emulator. The experience is slow and laggy, as well as having many limitations.
Some relevant articles:
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- What Does CPU Stand For? Top Full Guide 2022
- PC Gaming Vs Console 2022: Top Full Comparison
- Gaming Laptop Vs Desktop 2022: Top Full Comparison
- AMD Vs Intel 2022: Which The Best Choice For You?
FAQ
What is the Apple M1 chip equivalent to Intel?
The M1 chip offers up to 3.5x faster CPU performance and 6x quicker GPU performance. It also has up to 15x more machine learning capabilities than the Intel chips in previous-generation machines.
Is the Apple M1 chip better than the Intel i7?
Final Thoughts. The Apple M1 is a strong competitor to Intel’s Core i7 processor. It beats the Intel i7 rivalry by using standard benchmarks. The M1 chip is also more attractive for Apple fans because it has a longer battery life and lower cost.
Is the M1 chip better than i5?
The M1 is compared to an older 2019 Apple iMac with an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 6-core CPU and a boost frequency up to 4.1GHz. The CPU tests showed that the M1 chip was 25% faster than the Core i5 CPU.
Conclusion
Apple’s new M1 chip is said to be a big step up from their previous Intel chips, and many benefits come with it. For one, the M1 is faster and more energy-efficient than its predecessor. It also offers longer battery life and better security features. Overall, the M1 is a great option for a powerful and efficient chip.