Apple has unveiled its new M1 chip , which will be used in next-generation ARM-based Macs. This is a 5nm processor, the same as the Apple A14 processor found in the latest iPhones. And the first official chip from the Apple Silicon series . Apple said the new chip will focus on energy efficiency and lower power consumption. It features an octa-core processor that Apple says delivers the world’s best performance per watt. The M1 delivers the same peak performance as a typical laptop processor while consuming just a quarter of the power.
Apple’s new M1 processor
The difference between a system on a chip (SoC) and a conventional processor is that it combines a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a Neural Engine, and much more. The M1 also has an eight-core GPU, and Apple claims it offers the world’s fastest integrated graphics. The M1 has a USB 4 controller, media encoding and decoding mechanisms, and a Secure Enclave. The latter uses encrypted memory and includes a hardware random number generator and is also used in Touch ID.
Apple says it has optimized all of its applications for the new chip. According to Apple, Final Cut Pro runs up to six times faster on the M1, and Logic Pro can handle up to three times as many audio tracks. Apps from third-party vendors such as Adobe are also coming soon. Lightroom for the M1 will launch later this year and Photoshop next year.
Apple is offering Rosetta 2 software to translate applications that are not optimized for new processors to new architectures. Existing iOS and iPadOS apps will initially run on the new processors.
Developing its own processors means Apple is moving away from the Intel processors that have been used in Macs for over a decade. In response to today’s presentation, Intel said it “is focused on delivering the most advanced PC capabilities and a wide range of technology solutions that are redefining the definition of computing.”
