The New Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max
The chipset that is shaking up the industry
Apple has recently announced the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips. The newest processors bring in even more power compared to the M1 chip released last year. The new chips rely on the transformational architecture of the M1 chip while boosting the performance by up to 70%.
Additionally, you get incredible power efficiency, redesigned to make the new MacBooks the best out there while enjoying mobility and flexibility of location.
Unified memory
One of the main advantages of the M1 Pro and M1 Max laptops is that they also bring in unified memory. This helps minimize data redundancy which occurs when data is copied in various memory sections by the GPU or CPU.
Traditionally, copying wastes memory capacity and it’s very slow.
However, the unified memory approach allows all system components access to the memory at once. In doing so, Apple achieves lower latency and bandwidth, not to mention access to the entire M1 System on Chip (SoC). Aside from physical integration, the memory architecture makes it easy to handle the memory requirements more efficiently.
The M1 Pro memory bandwidth is rated at 200 GB/s with support for 32 GB of memory. Where the M1 Max delivers 400 GB/s and provides support for up to 64 GB of unified memory. That helps bring in some incredible results in professional projects, gaming and provides outstanding everyday performance.
Comparable performance, regardless of location.
Thanks to this new, efficient SoC architecture, the new refreshed MacBook Pro laptops can retain the same high-quality performance at any time in most locations. Whether running the unit on a battery or plugged in, the computer works the same way, a testament to its incredible efficiency provided by Apple.
To top it off, the new 14" and 16" Macbooks have an enhanced media engine and a ProRes acceleration system. Both devices provide better video processing and scaling of the display.
Are these better than the Intel processors we had on previous models?
Once Apple started creating its processors, they didn't have to rely on Intel at all. In recent years, Intel went with incremental, slight innovations, changing the processors minimally. Apple took a different approach, focusing on processing efficiency and system speeds.
Due to this approach, we can finally see the results of Apple's new direction. The battery life of these units skyrockets compared to its Intel predecessor, which demonstrates just how much energy efficiency the processor and all the other components have. Furthermore, there are comparisons to discrete video cards like the NVidia 3070 in the higher GPU models.
The M1 Pro and M1 Max laptops are an incredible value while offering customers state-of-the-art results. In just two years, Apple has managed to catch Intel in many regards. One can assume other companies have noticed, as evidenced by the recent announcement of the Tensor chip in the Google Pixel 6.
SoC architecture is one of those technologies that feels foreign and unfamiliar to those who work in IT for a living. It's a change of the battle guard, no longer relying on CPU speeds to tell the whole story. The industry as a whole has primarily hit upon the current technical limits of that specific metric. So in aggregate, the focus has been on system transport speeds like system bus or memory.
The M1 Pro and M1 Max offer everything a professional could want regarding system performance and likely will set the tone for processors to come. The industry will likely continue to lag in porting existing software and operating systems to ARM infrastructure. It's an exciting time for hardware and the improvements these processors bring to the table.
