Apple Saying Goodbye to Intel Processors

[nyumski]

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Trade in your eligible Mac for credit toward a new 13-inch or 15-inch MacBook Air laptop. Select a model or customize your own. Buy now at apple.com.

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The two current Air models are both Intel-based.

Comparison of all Macs, all models listed have Intel CPU's:

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The MacBook Pro is available with AMD graphics.

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ooh nice, i think i misread, it is actually AMD graphics not the processor.

thank you then, got it

 

[KrisZ]

I understand that gaming is not among the majority of computer uses. However, gamers and gaming does drive the technology.

Gaming hasn't driven CPU development for a long, long time now. If it did we would still be on single core processors. Games are just now starting to take advantage of multiple cores, but single clock speeds still rule, hence why intel consumer chips are still better for gaming.
Server and corporate productivity is the driver. But none of these have loud youtube influences making it seem like top of the line gaming computers matter.

Most people have quite modest gaming PCs or simply switched to consoles.

Look up some system stats on Steam. While it sure doesn't represent all of the pc gaming, it is a big chunk, and it's quite eye opening.

 

[PandaBear]

Gaming hasn't driven CPU development for a long, long time now. If it did we would still be on single core processors. Games are just now starting to take advantage of multiple cores, but single clock speeds still rule, hence why intel consumer chips are still better for gaming.
Server and corporate productivity is the driver. But none of these have loud youtube influences making it seem like top of the line gaming computers matter.

Most people have quite modest gaming PCs or simply switched to consoles.

Look up some system stats on Steam. While it sure doesn't represent all of the pc gaming, it is a big chunk, and it's quite eye opening.

Maybe if you only play UbiSoft games or Crysis. Most "recent" games have been doing well with DX12 and Vulkan. Many gaming benchmark of retired Xeon Sandy Bridge / Ivy Bridge and ECC DDR3 with new motherboard (aliexpress) shows that they do very well with 6-8 cores of lower frequency, able to keep up with the latest for a fraction of the prices.

Intel consumer chips is finally falling behind Zen 3, and it will be for a long time before they can catch up to anything TSMC produced. Just look at the ASML EUV equipment order, TSMC allocated half of it and Intel merely ordered 5%, and ASML are completely booked. Even if Intel wants to catch up they won't have the equipment to do that. They cut corner in the past, thinking that their monopoly power can carry them forward.

 

[Skippy722]

Maybe if you only play UbiSoft games or Crysis. Most "recent" games have been doing well with DX12 and Vulkan. Many gaming benchmark of retired Xeon Sandy Bridge / Ivy Bridge and ECC DDR3 with new motherboard (aliexpress) shows that they do very well with 6-8 cores of lower frequency, able to keep up with the latest for a fraction of the prices.

Intel consumer chips is finally falling behind Zen 3, and it will be for a long time before they can catch up to anything TSMC produced. Just look at the ASML EUV equipment order, TSMC allocated half of it and Intel merely ordered 5%, and ASML are completely booked. Even if Intel wants to catch up they won't have the equipment to do that. They cut corner in the past, thinking that their monopoly power can carry them forward.

Intel also stated they’re “backporting” their 10nm architecture to their 14nm+++++++ node.

 

[Oildudeny]

Hopefully Apple drops intel for the cellular radio and goes back with Qualcomm or mirrors the performance of Qualcomm radios

 

[PandaBear]

Hopefully Apple drops intel for the cellular radio and goes back with Qualcomm or mirrors the performance of Qualcomm radios

They bought that division from Intel. I think they will stay with Qualcomm on the latest and greatest in phones for sure, but in some products that does not require the best (larger battery size, like ipad), they will integrate the former Infineon / Intel modem into the AP eventually, like how low end CPU has integrated graphics.

 

[SubLGT]

3 new Macs with the M1 processor are now available to order.

MacInTouch – timely, accurate info since 1985

macintouch.com

Apple’s latest marketing show (with the typical hype) announced the “M1” processor today, the first Mac CPU designed by Apple on the ARM platform – actually, an SoC (“System on Chip”) that integrates memory with multiple processors, including 4 high-performance CPU cores plus 4 high-efficiency cores; integrated graphics hardware with up to 8 GPU cores; plus a 16-core “neural engine”; an updated “Secure Enclave” processor; a Thunderbolt / USB 4 controller, and more. A major reduction in power requirements is part of this transition, complemented by changes in macOS 11 “Big Sur” and Apple’s apps.

Apple claims that even Intel apps running via its Rosetta 2 translation layer can out-perform integrated graphics on native Intel hardware and that native ARM code (“universal” apps) will run stunningly fast on new Apple hardware.

A silent, fan-less MacBook Air with M1 processor makes its debut, claiming up to 3.5x more performance (and up to 5x faster graphics), SSDs with up to twice the performance, and the specialized performance benefits of Apple’s “neural engine” hardware. Battery life is claimed to be up to twice as long, while an image signal processor improves video conferencing and coordinates with the neural processor for tasks such as face recognition. Dual Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4 ports (USB-C) handle input/output.

MacBook Air pricing remains the same, starting at $999+ with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD, neither of which can be upgraded after purchase.

A new 13-inch MacBook Pro transitions to the M1 hardware, too, but uses an active cooling system with a fan, in contrast to the MacBook Air’s fan-less design. Two ports support Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4. Pricing starts at the same level, $1299+ with non-upgradable 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD, plus Touch Bar, Touch ID, Force Touch trackpad, and backlit “Magic Keyboard.”

Apple has a new Mac Mini with the M1 system-on-chip, promising much faster integrated graphics performance and faster processing vs. the 4-core Intel Mac Mini. Dual USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4, and it also has HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, and dual USB-A ports. Its new starting price is $699+ with 8GB non-upgradable RAM and 256GB non-upgradable SSD. (Apple’s 6-core Intel Mac Mini remains available, starting at $1,099+ with upgradable RAM.)

Ordering begins today with availability next week, while macOS 11 “Big Sur” is due this Thursday.

 

[PandaBear]

Interesting. They jump into 5nm and you can pre-order already....

4 big 4 little core for 2x the performance or 25% of the power. 8 integrated graphics core (whatever that means, likely a mid range dedicated GPU from ATI or Nvidia). 8GB HBM memory it seems, maybe enough as they control the flash memory and the DDR, and can swap fast enough. Won't be cheap for sure nor upgradable, but at least it wouldn't be worse than an iPad.

I wonder if the 4 big / little chip would have similar performance to a 6 core, or 4 core 8 thread from a 5nm Zen 4 AMD will eventually release