The New Apple M2 Chips Vs Intel Chips

17th September 2021
Blog header with MacBook and Intel chip and M2 chip icon with a lighting bolt in the middle

The New Apple M2 Chips vs Intel Chips

Apple’s new M2 chips are set to replace Intel chips in Macs. Here’s how the M2 chips compare to Intel chips:

Energy Efficiency

Compared to Intel chips, the M2 chips are significantly more energy efficient. the M2 chips consume less power, resulting in longer battery life, faster performance, and reduced heat output. Intel chips, on the other hand, require more power to operate, which results in shorter battery life and increased heat output.

Optimised Integration

M2 chips are integrated with Apple’s macOS operating system, resulting in better hardware and software optimization, improving performance and efficiency. The M2 chips also feature a Neural Engine, capable of performing up to 11 trillion operations per second, useful for machine learning applications and video rendering. Intel chips lack this level of hardware and software optimization, resulting in reduced performance and efficiency in comparison to the M2 chips.

Unified Memory Architecture

The M2 chips use a unified memory architecture, allowing components to share the same memory, facilitating faster data transfer, and improving overall performance. In contrast, Intel chips use a separate memory architecture, which can slow down data transfer and affect overall performance. M2 chips are also compatible with iOS apps, expanding the app library available for use on Macs, while Intel chips lack this level of compatibility.

Rosetta 2

The M2 chips use Rosetta 2, a translation layer that enables apps built for Intel-based Macs to run on M2 chips. This allows users to continue using their favourite apps, even if they haven’t been updated to support the new architecture. In contrast, Intel chips lack this level of backward compatibility, making it difficult for users to run older apps that haven’t been updated.

Voice Recognition and Processing

The Neural Engine can perform real-time voice recognition and processing, allowing users to input text via dictation instead of typing. This is especially useful for users with motor impairments that make typing difficult. While some Intel chips may have voice recognition capabilities, they lack the dedicated Neural Engine found in the M2 chips, which can affect the accuracy and speed of voice recognition.

Improved Security

The M2 chips come with improved security features that make them more secure for users with sensitive data. The Secure Enclave is a hardware-based feature that stores sensitive data like passwords and biometric information securely on the device. Intel chips lack this level of hardware-based security, which can make them vulnerable to security breaches.

Conclusion

In every section, the new Apple M2 chips outperform Intel chips in terms of energy efficiency, optimised integration, unified memory architecture, compatibility, voice recognition and processing, and improved security. 

While Intel chips have been a staple in the computing industry for many years, the M1 chips represent a significant advancement in computing technology. 

The M2 chip’s energy efficiency, optimised integration, unified memory architecture, Rosetta 2, voice recognition, and improved security make it a powerful and versatile device for both personal and professional use, surpassing Intel chips in every aspect.