The announcement of the MacBook M1 serial by Apple in 2020 marked the company ’s modulation away from using Intel chip and to Apple Silicon rather . But what really is Apple Silicon and what does it intend ?
To make sense of the Apple jargon , we ’ve put together this guide so you could understand what Apple Silicon actually is , how it works and what devices you could find the technology in .
What is Apple Silicon?
Apple Silicon is the all - encompassing full term for chipsets that have been develop by Apple . Not just come to to an individual chipping series , for instance the M - chips found in MacBooks or any of the A - chips find in iPhones , but rather Apple ’s own chipsets as a whole .
As cite above , Apple Silicon includes the M - Series processors for its computer and higher - final stage iPads and the A - Series for iPhones and downhearted - remnant iPads but also the S - Series fries for Apple Watch and the U - Series for AirTag .
Apple had antecedently used Intel chips in their macintosh , however it flip to Apple Silicon in 2020 with theM1 chip . Since then , there ’s been even more meter chip expansion with the M1 Pro and M1 Max which launched as more sinewy alternatives to the M1 in October 2021 .
There was also the M2 batting order which launched in 2022 and after expanded to the M2 Pro , Max and Ultra . And then Apple launched theM3back in March 2024 . The most up to date chipset series is actually the recent introduction of theApple M4which is found in the approaching iPad Pro .
How does Apple Silicon work?
Apple Silicon usesArmarchitecture , which is a technology renowned for its eminent - execution ceiling , power and thermal efficiency , specially when compared to Intel processors .
The Arm computer architecture also allows for fantastic power efficiency , and is the cardinal rationality why M - powered MacBooks generally offer higher-ranking battery spirit than laptops with an AMD or Intel processor .
It ’s not just computer that have the benefit of Arm architecture as it is also used in the A - Series chips for iPhone and low - end iPads , to make cross - platform support for apps much easier .
Which Macs use Apple Silicon?
All unexampled Apple Macs use Apple Silicon , specifically the M - Series chips , so this means no young Apple Macs apply the premature Intel chipsets .
Do n’t worry if you ’re still using an Intel - power Mac though , as Apple confirmed that it will continue to plump for these devices for the foreseeable future .
