Last night, Apple introduced a new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini powered by its new custom M1 chip – a system-on-a-chip with processor (CPU) and graphics processor (GPU) designed for Macs.
Apple says the M1 chip delivers up to 3.5x faster CPU, up to 6x faster GPU, and up to 15x faster machine learning (ML) capabilities, compared to its previous Intel-based Macs. It also now features industry-leading performance per watt, and battery life up to 2x longer than before.
“The introduction of three new Macs featuring Apple’s breakthrough M1 chip represents a bold change that was years in the making, and marks a truly historic day for the Mac and for Apple,” says Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “M1 is by far the most powerful chip we’ve ever created, and combined with Big Sur (the next major release of macOS, out on 12 November), delivers mind-blowing performance, extraordinary battery life, and access to more software and apps than ever before. We can’t wait for our customers to experience this new generation of Mac, and we have no doubt it will help them continue to change the world.”
The new chip is ARM-based, which is the same instruction-set found in most smartphones, and is able to deliver faster performance than x86-based equivalents. The M1 being ARM-based also means the new Macs will be able to run iPhone and iPad apps natively within MacOS.
It is also a space saving chip because it combines the CPU, I/O chip, DDR4 memory, T2 security chip and Thunderbolt controllers into one housing. Saving space has also allowed Apple to put in larger SSD storage options, which range from 256GB to 2TB options in all models.
Read more on the next page about what’s new in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini.
What’s new in the MacBook Air
The new chip in the MacBook Air is a powerful 8-core CPU that performs up to 3.5x faster than the previous generation. With up to an 8-core GPU, graphics are up to 5x faster, which is the biggest leap in graphics yet for the MacBook Air. ML workloads are up to 9x faster, so apps that use ML-based features like face recognition or object detection can do so in a fraction of the previous time. The M1 chip’s storage controller and latest flash technology deliver up to 2x faster SSD performance, so previewing massive images or importing large files is faster than before.
It also packs performance in a fanless design, which means no matter what users are doing, it remains silent. It also features a longer 15 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 18 hours of video playback
Apple provided the following information on comparisons to the previous Intel-based MacBook Air.
The new MacBook Air can:
- Export a project for the web with iMovie up to 3x faster.
- Integrate 3D effects into video in Final Cut Pro up to 5x faster.
- For the first time, play back and edit multiple streams of full-quality, 4K ProRes video in Final Cut Pro without dropping frames.
- Export photos from Lightroom up to twice as fast.
- Use ML-based features like Smart Conform in Final Cut Pro to intelligently frame a clip up to 4.3x faster.
- Watch more movies and TV shows with up to 18 hours of battery life, the longest ever on MacBook Air.
- Extend FaceTime and other video calls for up to twice as long on a single charge.
What’s new in the 13-inch MacBook Pro
The new MacBook Pro features the same M1 chip as the MacBook Air, but comes with a fan. This means the chip will not be thermally throttled when it’s put under a high workload. With this in mind, the 8-core CPU is up to 2.8x faster than the previous generation, while the 8-core GPU is up to 5x faster.
ML is up to 11x faster, so those who are running TensorFlow applications will experience a significant difference in their workflows. With up to 17 hours of wireless web browsing and up to a whopping 20 hours of video playback, MacBook Pro delivers up to twice the battery life of the previous generation and the longest battery life ever on a Mac.
The new MacBook Pro can:
- Build code in Xcode up to 2.8x faster.
- Render a complex 3D title in Final Cut Pro up to 5.9x faster.
- Fluidly design intricate game scenes in Unity Editor up to 3.5x faster.
- Perform ML tasks in Create ML up to 11x faster.
- Separate out beats, instrumentals, and vocal tracks from a recording in real time in djay Pro AI, thanks to the performance of the Neural Engine.
- Play back full-quality, 8K ProRes video in DaVinci Resolve without dropping frames.
- Compile four times as much code on a single charge, thanks to the game-changing performance per watt of the M1 chip.
Read more on the next page about what’s new in the Mac mini.
What’s new in the Mac mini
As with the MacBook Pro, the M1 chip in the Mac mini comes with a fan and will not be thermally throttled. The new 8-core CPU provides up to 3x faster performance than the previous generation, while the GPU delivers up to a massive 6x increase in graphics performance. ML workloads also take a huge leap forward with up to 15x faster performance over the previous generation.
The new Mac mini can:
- Compile code in Xcode up to 3x faster.
- Play a graphics-intensive game like “Shadow of the Tomb Raider” with up to 4x higher frame rates.
- Render a complex timeline in Final Cut Pro up to 6x faster.
- Take music production to new levels by using up to 3x as many real-time plug-ins in Logic Pro.
- Magically increase the resolution of a photo in Pixelmator Pro up to 15x faster.
- Utilise ML frameworks like TensorFlow or Create ML, now accelerated by the M1 chip.
The new Macs are available to preorder in the US now and will be shipped next week. The new MacBook Air starts at $999; the new 13-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,299; and the new Mac mini starts at $699.
South African availability and pricing will be announced shortly.