Apple announced three new Macs today, all powered by the impressive and equally new Apple M1 chip. All of the new machines are available for pre-order now, but you’ll need to wait until next week for your order to arrive.
The big news here is obviously that fancy new chip and if Apple’s claims are anything to go by we can expect some blisteringly fast performance.
Here’s what Apple announced during today’s “One more thing” special event.
MacBook Air: A Thin and Light Powerhouse
Apple’s newly updated MacBook Air packs the M1 chip as you’d expect, but there’s a surprise in store. Apple says the new chip runs so cool that the MacBook Air no longer needs a fan inside it. That obviously means it’ll be whisper silent during use. But don’t worry, it’s still going to be wicked fast according to Apple.
With the M1 chip, MacBook Air speeds through everything from editing family photos to exporting videos for the web. The powerful 8-core CPU performs up to 3.5x faster than the previous generation. With up to an 8-core GPU, graphics are up to 5x faster, the biggest leap ever for MacBook Air, so immersive, graphics-intensive games run at significantly higher frame rates. ML workloads are up to 9x faster, so apps that use ML-based features like face recognition or object detection can do so in a fraction of the time. The M1 chip’s storage controller and latest flash technology deliver up to 2x faster SSD performance, so previewing massive images or importing large files is faster than ever. And in MacBook Air, M1 is faster than the chips in 98 percent of PC laptops sold in the past year.
The new MacBook Air is available to order now, starting at $999 in its standard configuration although others are available if you need more RAM and storage. Shipping will begin next week.
13-inch MacBook Pro: Even More Powerful and Even More Pro
The 13-inch MacBook Pro is Apple’s most popular notebook and it’s just received a huge speed update. And it’s all thanks to the new M1 chip. With the inclusion of a new fan system compared to last year Apple says the newly updated notebook will be super quick, not least thanks to the optimizations afforded by macOS Big Sur.
With the M1 chip and Big Sur, the 13-inch MacBook Pro becomes even more powerful and even more pro. The 8-core CPU, when paired with the MacBook Pro’s active cooling system, is up to 2.8x faster than the previous generation, delivering game-changing performance when compiling code, transcoding video, editing high-resolution photos, and more. The 8-core GPU is up to 5x faster, allowing users to enjoy super smooth graphics performance whether they are designing a graphics-intensive game or a new product. And with M1, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is up to 3x faster than the best-selling Windows laptop in its class.3 ML is up to 11x faster, and for on-device ML tasks that use the Neural Engine, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro is now the world’s fastest compact pro notebook.
The refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,299 with upgrades available if you need more RAM or a larger SSD to store all your stuff on. Orders can be placed right now with shipment to begin next week.
Mac mini: Staggering Performance and an Ultracompact Design
Finally, the Mac mini also received some love. On the downside, it’s done away with the Space Gray look, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less of a “pro” machine.
Like the other machines here, the new Mac mini is powered by the M1 chip and again there’s a pretty great fan system included. That means users can push the M1 to its maximum without thermal throttling kicking in. And that performance means things are going to zip along, says Apple.
M1 brings an 8-core CPU with up to 3x faster performance than the previous generation, dramatically accelerating demanding workloads, from compiling a million lines of code to building enormous multitrack music projects. An 8-core GPU delivers up to a massive 6x increase in graphics performance, allowing Mac mini to tackle performance-intensive tasks like complex 3D rendering with ease. ML workloads also take a quantum leap forward with up to 15x faster performance over the previous generation.
Amazingly, the new Mac mini will start at just $699, so $100 less than the previous generation. Like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, it is available to order right now with shipping from next week.
You may also like to check out:
- Download iOS 14.2 Final IPSW Links, OTA Profile File Along With iPadOS 14.2
- How To Fix Bad iOS 14 Battery Life Drain [Guide]
- Convert Factory Wired Apple CarPlay To Wireless Apple CarPlay In Your Car Easily, Here’s How
- iPhone 12 / Pro Screen Protector With Tempered Glass: Here Are The Best Ones
- Best iPhone 12, 12 Pro Case With Slim, Wallet, Ultra-Thin Design? Here Are Our Top Picks [List]
- Best iPhone 12 Mini Screen Protector: Here’s A List Worth Checking
- Best iPhone 12 Pro Max Screen Protector: Here Is A List Worth Checking
- Jailbreak iOS 14.2 Using Checkra1n, Here’s How-To [Guide]
- How To Downgrade iOS 14.2 The Right Way [Tutorial]
- Apple Watch ECG App Hack: Enable Outside US In Unsupported Country On Series 5 & 4 Without Jailbreak
You can follow us on Twitter, or Instagram, and even like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple, and the Web.