System on a chip
The M1 is, in fact, a system on a chip (SoC). It incorporates almost all the fundamental components of a computer, like the CPU, GPU, memory, USB controller, power management circuits, and wireless radios into one chip instead of them all being separately put together on a motherboard. This high level of integration means that an SoC uses much shorter wiring and, most significantly for users, requires a lot less power.
According to Apple, its new chip has a unified memory architecture that incorporates highbandwidth, low-latency memory into a single pool within a custom package. Consequently, all the technologies in the SoC can access the same data without needing to copy it between multiple pools of memory. This all contributes to improved performance and efficiency. Apple says that machines running the M1 chip offer CPU performance that is up to twice as fast at that on a PC laptop using the latest chip. The company has also stated that its devices can match peak PC performance using just 25% of the power.
This story is from the January 2021 edition of MacFormat UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2021 edition of MacFormat UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Rainbow Weather: AI Forecast
Need a mac? Check this app
Anker A1564 MagGo Power Bank (10K)
A pocket-sized portable charger for when you need it most
Logitech MX Brio
A champion of webcams in the darkness
TP-Link Archer Air R5/E5
A modern networking system for today’s home
1More Penta Driver P50
Who needs wireless earbuds when you can have these?
LaCie Rugged Mini SSD
Rugged external SSD storage
Synology BeeStation
Affordable network storage with Time Machine support
KEEP YOUR OLD MAC RUNNING
Get that Mac out of the attic and fire it up or you'll never know what it’s capable of!
CREATE YOUR DREAM SMART HOME
Make your semi smarter, your bungalow brighter or your flat future-proof with Siri and the best smart home tech
macOS
Shine a spotlight on the solutions to your most irritating Mac problems