Is the Apple M1 Chip Better Than Intel Core i9?

With the Apple M1 chip announced, there is much buzz about it. Some believe that the Apple M1 chip might be the best processor currently. Another aspect of this rumor is that it will be better than the Intel Core i9 processor. Here is a blog on the Apple M1 chip and how it compares to the Intel Core i9 processor.

This is the first chipset made exclusively for Apple products the Apple M1. every tech company is trying to make their products faster and multitasking. Apple is making its smartphones or laptops faster than ever before.

Previously Apple and Intel had united to provide core integrated macs. But the new era of Apple’s evolution, with the new M1 chipset, both of the tech titans sailed separate ways. Apple is now ready to provide its built ARM (Advanced RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) Machines) processor powered laptops, like the iPhones, and IPads.

The MacBook Pro and Air are the first models produced by Apple using the newly built M1 chipset. And the MacBook Pro with the 13-inch notebook is said to be more affordable than the previously released notebooks. So this notebook will decide the future of the business of Apple’s core provoked Macs. There is a small comparison between the cores of the two most popular and greatest tech companies provided below.

Before comparing the cores, let’s find out some facts about the chips of these two companies.

Intel Core i9 & It’s Specifications

For decades Intel has provided a lot of core processors since their first processor ‘4004 processor’. This processor was created on the year 1971, starting a new era of integrated electronics, with 4-bit processing units. Not only this was Intel’s first processor, but it is also the first microprocessor that was commercially produced worldwide.

Since then the company has produced more than trillions of microprocessors and had went through many evolutions. Now, the most advanced processor they had is the Core i9 10th generation of the X series (Intel Core i9 10980XE). This is the most advanced built core processor till now.

Let us find the features of this processor-

1. Frequency or clock speed- The base frequency of this processor is 3 GHz (gigahertz), while when Turbo Boost Max 2.0 frequency is used its frequency increases to 4.6 GHz. The All-core Boast frequency of the processor is 3.8, on using Turbo Boost Max Tech 3.0 frequency its frequency level is up to 4.8 GHz.
2. Cache memory- The cache memory of this X series processor is 24.75 MB.
3. TDP- Thermal Design Power, or Thermal Design Point (TDP), is the maximum amount of heat generated by the processor, and calculated on watt (W). This processor’s TDP is 165 W.
4. Bus speed- The bus speed of this processor is 8 GT/s (Giga Transfer per second).
5. Cores and threads- It consists of a total of 10 cores and 20 threads in it.

Apple M1 Chip & It’s Specifications

Since the creation of the company, Apple has only focused on electronic devices and Operating Systems. Apple Inc. built their first computer, and named it Apple I; the device lacks a keyboard, monitor, and other important components of a computer. It was just an assembled integrated circuit on a wooden board, later a keyboard was added to it.

After so many decades of evolution of their devices, and operating systems, finally came up with the idea of the MacBook, iPhone, and iPod. Now, this is starting a new era of technological evolution, of building its ARM processor. That’s led to a rivalry with another tech titan Intel Corp.; previously, these two companies collaborated to create, a powerful microprocessor provoked MacBook.

Apple now decided to build up its chipset, naming it Apple M1.

Apple M1 vs Intel Core i9

Disclaimers alert this article is not to support any company. Rather this article is to provide facts, and information, about which one will be better for your use. The factors, features, and every known aspect of these two companies’ processors will be provided the rest you can decide which to buy, and which not to.

Similarities:

Before starting the comparison, we would like to share a few features that are similar in both the processors powered MacBook. These features are mentioned below-

• Display- Both have the same display of 13.3 inches LED-backlit Retina IPS, with True Tone technology display.
• Another feature that is common between these two MacBooks is that both of them provide with Force Touchpad trackpad and a magic keyboard.
• Both the notebook provides the touch id and touch bar.
• The camera configuration of both devices is 720p Facetime with an HD camera.
• This device has the feature of Bluetooth 5.0 and has Dolby Atmos audio.

Differentiation:

So these are the similar features of both microprocessor-powered systems, now let us see the comparisons between these two chips provoked MacBook.

• Chipset or processor- Intel has a 4-core Intel processor i9, along with Intel Iris Plus for graphics. While, the Apple M1 chipset has an 8-core CPU, GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine.
• RAM- Intel provides up to 32 GB of memory, while Apple provides 16 GB of unified memory.
• Storage- Intel’s production provides 4 TB of memory storage, but Apple’s M1 can only provide 2 TB.
• Wi-Fi- Intel has Wi-Fi 5 (with 802.11ac) on its devices, and Apple provides Wi-Fi 6 (with 802.11ax).
• Ports- Intel gives the user 4x Thunderbolt 3 (of type C) ports, but Apple can provide its user with 2x Thunderbolt (of USB 4) ports.
• Battery- Intel’s devices could provide you with 58 WHr (Watt-hour), as Apple’s devices give you 58.2 WHr.
• Battery life- The battery life of this Intel product is about 10 hours only, while Apple’s is about 20 hours.

Above we have shared the facts about the systems, now let us discuss the performance of the microprocessors in detail.

Performance

Intel has been for a longer period on this processor or core business. Resulting in one of the most popular and best core-making companies. The journey from 4004 processor to i9 10980XE, was not easy. But after so many evolutions of technologies, and a microprocessor, they have become one of the tech titans in today’s world. Their produced MacBook has a quad-core processor, which has integrated Intel Iris Graphics.

While this is Apple Inc.’s first processor production with the M1 series, causing them to focus on their productions. Their production comes up with an eight-core processing unit along with 16-core of a neural engine for enhanced and advanced machine learning algos.

When talking about the processor, the Apple M1 chipset has provided a system-on-a-chip (or SoC) that means CPU, GPU, input/output, RAM, and security features, everything is integrated into the chip itself. But, Intel has everything of these separated on the circuit board. Resulting in Apple M1 giving the advantage of better performance than that of Intel.

Moreover, when basic tasks are performed like surfing or reading, the processor uses high-efficiency cores that help in preserving battery usage. And it uses the high-performance cores that it is engaged for users’ high intensive tasks like video editing, or live streaming a game.

Conclusion

This may be a good time for someone to buy a laptop. There is no such thing as competition in business; it’s all just a part of preference of choice that everyone is free to do.

There can’t be any competition between these two companies, as they both try to provide the best of them. A rivalry may have started between them, but that is also good for the customers. As of now both of them will try to provide the best services they can give. Both of them will try to provide the best technological advancement they can.

But, the more important thing is that there will be a lot of features that may be provided, but the usability of any technology is in the hands of the users, and only a user knows what they need for their work to be done. So, our advice is that user should know their requirements according to their usability, and choose according to that.