The Apple M1 is a system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple. It is based on the Arm architecture for various apple devices. Here the M1 being a SoC, it has both its CPU and GPU on a single chip which integrates flawlessly with Apple ecosystem. Above all, it promises better performance and battery life compared to its Intel counterpart with significantly less power requirements. The M1 is similar to the Bionic series chipset used in its iPhone line of devices, but here the chipset is more powerful and is used in its macbooks and i-pads. Furthermore, Mac OS has gone through a significant change with the introduction of the M1 and it’s also the first major change in the instruction set used by Apple devices since 2006. We have compared and come up with Apple M1 vs Intel CPU, which one do you think as a powerful chipset!
Apple M1 vs Intel CPU
The Apple M1 and Intel CPU are very different to each other as they are based on different architecture making it hard to compare their overall capabilities. Here, benchmark scores are not always right and they don’t show the whole picture. As such, both of them are compared with each other under various bases as shown below.
Performance
Performance is the most sought after feature of any computing device. In terms of synthetic benchmarks only, apple crushes Intel even with the software running through Rosetta 2 translation layer. As an example, if we compare their score under Geekbench 5, M1 Macbook Air beats all of the 11 gen Intel processors while running the test through an emulator. Here, the M1 scored 5962 while the Intel equipped XPS 13 scored 5319 which shows its superiority clearly. Furthermore, the latest M1 Max will perform far better widening the gap even more than it is currently.
Graphics
Although both chips rely on integrated graphics, there is a clear gap in their performance as well. The Apple M1 uses an Apple-designed eight-core (seven in some models) which performs decently. On the contrary, Intel’s 11 gen CPU’s use Xe graphics which are significantly better than Apple’s. If you plan to game on your device then it’s better to use an Intel powered laptop as most AAA games still are not compatible with the Arm architecture. Here, Intel wins but we can’t be sure in the long run.
Battery life
When it comes to battery life, Apples M1 again crushes Intel with over double the endurance than a typical Intel powered device. Although, power consumption has decreased significantly in the current generation Intel processors, they still can’t beat the apple devices. Furthermore, Apples chips perform better with less heat output making them a clear winner in this test as well.
Software compatibility
Apple’s M1 chip is specifically designed to run their in-house OS. Hence, there are very few other operating systems that run perfectly on it. Furthermore, it doesn’t support many professional applications as it is based on the Arm architecture but they still can be used through emulation. On the other hand, Intel has support for almost all types of operating software’s and applications for use. This will be solved in the future as developers port their apps for use on the M1.
In conclusion
Here we can clearly say that the Apple M1 is superior to its Intel counterparts in many aspects. They perform better and also have better battery and thermals as well. But Intel processors have wide range of compatibility and better software support as well. They are also better for gaming and other traditional workloads. Hence, we should choose one that we can easily use for our workloads.
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