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Three new Macs – one new chip
Apple has rolled out the M1-chip in the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini – delivering 3.5x faster performance than the Intel-based predecessors.
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.
