Apple M1: new processor will be in the Mac Mini, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
In June of that year, the Apple announced a big change in its trajectory, when it announced that it would switch from Intel processors to its own processors, in a transition that will last two years. Today, the first step has been taken, and Apple held its last event of the year with its new computer processor, the Apple M1.
The processors in the iPhone and iPad have been improving with each generation, so the transition to Macs was inevitable. This is the first time the company has launched a Mac with its own processors, so it is a historic day for the company founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
In addition to showing several details about the chip, the Apple also introduced three new Macs equipped with it, the MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and MacBook Pro.
Click below to watch the full event.
The small and powerful Apple M1
The M1 is produced using the 5nm process, and is the first computer processor with this technology. As it is a version of the processors created by Apple for smartphones and tablets, it also offers a lot of performance in the smallest possible size.
Thus, its performance is considered 3,5 times better than an Intel processor. The comparison was made on two MacBook Airs with 16 GB of RAM and 2 TB SSD, one with the Apple M1 and the other with a 7GHz Intel Core i1,2 processor. It is also worth noting that the Apple M1 is octa-core, while the test processor is quad-core.
With the new processor, iOS apps and games run natively. Intel apps can also be used, but with the Rosetta 2 app.
Read more sobre or Apple M1.
Silent MacBook Air with 18-hour battery life
Let's start with the MacBook Air. The notebook has 18 hours of battery life, and for the first time, it does away with the old fan, which was quite noisy. In addition, it has a performance that is 3,5 times faster than the MacBook Air sold today (as we saw above). The GPU integrated into the Apple M1 is 5 times faster, according to the company.
In the presentation, the Apple highlighted the instant startup and quick opening of apps. In addition, the MacBook Air also gained Touch ID, so that the user can authenticate with the same practicality as the iPhone.
Despite featuring the new M1 processor, the price remains the same as the current Air in the United States, US$ 999 (or around R$ 5.374). In Brazil, with taxes, the computer costs from R$ 12.999 in Brazil. Read more about the MacBook Air on the website Apple.
Mac Mini also no longer has a fan
Like the MacBook Air, the Mac Mini no longer has a fan, which is actually great news. The Mac Mini costs R$8.699 in Brazil, and US$699 abroad. Read more about the little computer of Apple.
MacBook Pro
A Apple also put the Apple M1 in its 13,3-inch MacBook Pro, which now has a battery life of up to 20 hours, according to the company. The new model also features Touch ID, just like the Air. The Mac|Book Pro can be configured with up to 16GB of RAM and an SSD up to 512GB. For now, the 16-inch model has not yet been updated with the new processor.
The MacBook Pro costs much more than the others, R$17.299 in Brazil, or US$1299 abroad. Read more about it.
I look to the future, but with an appeal to nostalgia
Pre-sales in the United States begin today, with delivery scheduled for the coming weeks, but in Brazil, there is still no date for it to arrive. In addition, Apple also confirmed the launch of MacOS Big Sur for next Tuesday, 12/11.
Another new feature that will please nostalgic fans (like me) is that the traditional Mac startup sound is back. At the end of the keynote, we also had the presence of John Hodgman, who played the role of the PC in the old Get a Mac (I'm a Mac, I'm a PC) commercials, shown from 2006 to 2009.
