

It's possible (probable, even) that the 8GB and 16GB come from the same chip die. But there could be yield issues with the M1. Honestly, in 2020, even fabricating an 8GB chip seems parsimonious. So expect RAM performance to increase substantially.īut the 2020 M1 ships with only 8GB or 16GB. Bits that have to travel in and out of two separate chips will have a much larger propagation delay than bits that have to travel inside a single chip. To be clear, in-chip RAM could well provide a strong performance boost. It looks like the M1 comes out of the fab with not only in-chip video, but in-chip RAM. RAM doesn't appear to be delivered via a separate module.
NEW MAC MINI REVIEW UPGRADE
Yes, granted the 10Gb feature was an optional upgrade to the 2018 machine, but that upgrade is not available for the 2020 M1 machine.Īnother major issue is how the M1 appears to handle memory. It also loses the ability to support 10Gb Ethernet. The 2020 M1 model keeps the USB-A ports, but provides only two Thunderbolt 3 ports. The 2018 Intel model came with four Thunderbolt 3 ports and two USB-A ports.

I own five, ranging from 2011 to 2018.īut the 2020 Mac mini takes a step backward from the Intel-based 2018 model. The Mac mini is a very versatile form factor, especially for those working at desks. We knew we'd probably see an Apple Silicon Mac mini early, simply because the developer kits released this summer were Mac mini-based. The 2020 M1 Mac miniĪfter owning the 2018 Mac mini redesign, the new M1 is a bit of a letdown.
NEW MAC MINI REVIEW WINDOWS
If you use a Mac and you rely on Windows in virtualization, you'll want to skip the M1 version, at least until the VM vendors finish their ports.Īll of this is common across the three machines that Apple announced. Parallels is recruiting testers for its fully emulated version of the Intel instruction set on the M1. Virtual machines like Fusion, Parallels, and VirtualBox remain up in the air. Performance on these, if mediocre now in Intel Rosetta 2 emulation, will undoubted get substantially better as their developers release updates. Others, like Photoshop and Fusion 360 - both mentioned in the Apple event - will either be ported to the new processor or be emulated.
NEW MAC MINI REVIEW PRO
Some, like the Apple-developed juggernaut Final Cut Pro X, should perform exceptionally well. All that remains true after the Apple announcement.īig questions remain about how individual programs perform on the new M1.

I also spoke about Apple's impressive track record of previous processor replacements in Macs. I talked previously about all the things that can go wrong in an architecture lift-and-shift. With high-performance and efficiency workload cores, with a deep commitment to on-silicon machine learning, and with an onboard GPU that shows some potential, this could be an architecture that leaves Intel behind. The M1 is an all-Apple design based on their mobile chips and the Arm architecture. Instead, our subject is the new CPU Apple introduced at this week's Apple Event. No, we're not talking about the money supply or a tank (other common uses of "M1"). The new M1 iMac highlights everything that's wrong with Apple.M1 MacBook Air: After 3 months use, here's what I wish I'd known.Apple M1: Will storage and memory limits be a problem for pros?.Mac Mini review: Most affordable M1 Mac offers great value.M1 MacBook Air review: Doesn't beat my Intel MacBook Pro.Apple's M1 chip launch raised more questions than it answered.Ukrainian developers share stories from the war zone Linux distros for beginners: You can do this! Got questions about crypto? Ask the Coachįor Mom: The best flower delivery services How ransomware attacks threaten our food supply
