M1 chip

 Apple M1 chip

The Apple M1 chip redefines the 13-inch MacBook Pro. Featuring an 8-core CPU that flies through complex workflows in photography, coding, video editing and more. Incredible 8-core GPU that crushes graphics-intensive tasks and enables super-smooth gaming. An advanced 16-core Neural Engine for more machine learning power in your favourite apps. Superfast unified memory for fluid performance. And the longest-ever battery life in a Mac at up to 20 hours.(2) It’s Apple’s most popular pro notebook. Even more performance and even more pro.

• Apple-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU and machine learning performance
• Get more done with up to 20 hours of battery life, the longest ever in a Mac(2)
• 8-core CPU delivers up to 2.8x faster performance to fly through workflows quicker than ever(1)
• 8-core GPU with up to 5x faster graphics for graphics-intensive apps and games(1)
• 16-core Neural Engine for advanced machine learning
• 8GB of unified memory so everything you do is fast and fluid
• Superfast SSD storage launches apps and opens files in an instant
• Active cooling system sustains incredible performance
• 13.3-inch Retina display with 500 nits of brightness for vibrant colours and incredible image detail(3)
• FaceTime HD camera with advanced image signal processor for clearer, sharper video calls
• Studio-quality three-microphone array captures your voice more clearly
• Next-generation Wi-Fi 6 for faster connectivity
• Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports for charging and accessories
• Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch Bar and Touch ID for secure unlock and payments
• macOS Big Sur with a bold new design and major app updates for Safari, Messages and Maps
• Available in space grey and silver

Apple M1 Processor Overview and Compatibility

The Apple M1 processor represents a significant step forward for Apple, but what does it mean for developers, designers, and other professionals using Apple hardware? In this article, Toptal Engineering Blog Editor Nermin Hajdarbegovic outlines what makes the M1 different and what professionals need to keep in mind should they choose to upgrade their hardware.

Every Apple event attracts a lot of attention, but the launch of the 2020 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini was about more than new features and sleek industrial design. This year, the big news is hidden deep inside the anodized aluminum chassis of new MacBooks, in the form of the Apple M1 System on a Chip (SoC), which is replacing Intel processors in 13-inch MacBooks and the Mac Mini.

Why is the transition to Apple processors so important? After all, Apple has been designing its smartphone processors since 2010, and this is not the first time it has embraced a new CPU architecture. Apple has gone through a number of different architectures, from Motorola CPUs in its Wozniak days, through PowerPC chips in the ‘90s, to Intel x86 processors in 2005. Now the company is moving to an ARM-based processor of its own design. In contrast, the Windows PC platform has stuck to x86 processors since the first IBM PC launched in 1981.

Today we will be taking a closer look at Apple’s new M1 chip, its implications for software engineers, designers, consumers, and the industry as a whole. We will not provide you with detailed performance reviews or test the compatibility of individual software suites and tools, legacy software, SDKs, and so on for brevity. Since you can easily find benchmarks and reviews on reputable hardware sites, we will focus on the big picture and address some concerns voiced by designers and developers interested in buying Apple’s new M1 MacBooks.