Here’s what you need to know about Apple’s CPUs and GPUs, the difference between the M2- and M1-series chips (Pro, Max and Ultra) and how Apple Silicon compares to Intel.
If you’re choosing between two different types of Mac, or two generations of the same Mac, you may be wondering just how much of a difference the processor will make.
Since November 2020 all new Macs have featured one of Apple’s own system-on-chip based on the ARM architecture and sometimes referred to as Apple Silicon. A number of Apple chips have joined the line up including the M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M1 Ultra, M2, M2 Pro, M2 Max and M2 Ultra so far. The final Mac to move from Intel to Apple Silicon was the Mac Pro in June 2023.
Now that the transition from Intel to Apple’s own chips is complete, and it has been a while since Apple sold any new Macs powered by an Intel chip, you might think that there is no point comparing Intel and Apple, but some stockists are still selling Intel-powered Macs and it is even possible to buy refurbished Macs with Intel chips from Apple’s refurbished store. Those wishing to upgrade from an Intel-powered Mac to an M1 or M2-series Mac may also be curious about how much of a difference to expect.
Read more at MacWorld.com