When choosing between buying a MacBook Pro and a MacBook Air, the question may be asked whether the processor varies. Although it is true that in the ‘Pro’ we find the M1 Pro and M1 Max from 2021, the model with the M1 chip is still on sale. This processor is precisely the same as the one offered for the ‘Air’. Therefore, you are probably wondering what differences they have and in this article we will tell you everything you need to know about this chip in both computers.
The similarities and differences of the entire M1 chip
When we talk about the hardware of a Mac M1 you cannot find all the elements individually throughout the interior. To be much more efficient Apple designed the M1 chip that integrated the CPU, GPU or RAM that are fundamental parts of the hardware of a computer. Next we are going to break down the differences that may exist in each of these sections between a MacBook Air and a MacBook Pro.
On the CPU
The CPU is the brain of any electronic product such as a computer. This part of the chip is one of the most important since it will be in charge at all times of executing a sequence of instructions and processing their data. All instructions will be carried out by the programs that you have installed on the storage disk, whether they are native or third-party. That is why to guarantee fluency when using different programs that are demanding, you should look for a processor to match.
In this case, the CPU that can be found on the M1 chip in both a MacBook Pro and a MacBook Air is identical. Specifically, it has an eight-core CPU that combines four performance cores with four efficiency cores. This means that we are talking about a hardware that is in charge of multithreading tasks. In the case of high-performance cores, there is a frequency between 600 MHz and 3.204 GHz. If we move to the efficiency cores, we will talk about a frequency between 600 MHz and 2.064 GHz.
As we have mentioned, in both cases there is a CPU with identical specifications and that is why in this case you cannot notice any kind of clear difference on paper. Although, as we will see later, there is a difference in practice, especially throughout the use that it can be given.
The GPU, the great differential point
Another of the key points in the hardware of a Mac is the GPU or graphics card. In the case of MacBook, it is always integrated, not being dedicated, in the chip itself designed by Apple. Its main function is the processing of any type of graphic information, such as displaying images on the screen, as well as processing a video. All GPUs have different processing units which are the cores. In this case it is where if you can find some differences of relevance.
In the case of the MacBook Air, Apple integrates in some cases the GPUs with only seven cores (although in higher models and therefore more expensive if you can opt for the eight-core one). In the case of the MacBook Pro, it can only be purchased with an eight-core GPU, thus guaranteeing its full performance when rendering a video or any other task that involves this part of the component.
Although, when talking about cores, it must be borne in mind that both chips have those eight cores . The only thing that happens is that in the case of the MacBook Air you can find one of them disabled in the most basic model. This opens the possibility of having two models on the market but the chip is always the same. This is an important saving in the manufacturing process since no other production line must be opened in the TSMC factories, but the exact same production is produced and later limited via software.
It is necessary to highlight a quite important difference in the limitation of the M1 chip between these two teams. In the case of the McBook Air, a 4K video rendering can be performed without the loss of any frame. In the case of the McBook Air, the GPU is specially designed to be able to transmit an image in 8K resolution and to be more efficient in the graphic loading processes.
Memory and Neural Engine
Another key point to take into account is the RAM that is used and also the neural chip. As with the CPU, we are facing hardware that is identical in both the Air and Pro ranges. In this case, both models have 8 GB RAM that cannot be modified in any of its configurations since it is fixed with this processor for all models.
In the case of the Neural Engine, we are talking about a chip that is exclusively designed to perform different options that are related to artificial intelligence. In the case of a Mac, it can be seen to be present in the identification of photographs and videos, as well as in the dictation functions in different third-party applications. In addition, it can also be used in the recognition of different sounds in an audio track. In this case, there is also a 16-core Neural Engine on the M1 chips of the two Macs.
The differences in benchmark
When making a hardware comparison, the most common thing is to look at the benchmarks. These are tests that are always carried out while the device is being used to obtain information based on a number of how this hardware works. In this case, we are going to refer to the benchmarks that are made publicly, which we summarize in the following informative table.
| M1 MacBook Air | M1 MacBook Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| BenchMark | ||
| Single-Core | 1729 | 1737 |
| Multi-Core | 7721 | 7647 |
The table is undoubtedly surprising. The logical thing would be to think that the chip of the Pro model has a higher performance than that of the Air but is fair. Although this table shows values that are higher in the case of Air, the truth is that they are approximate values. With this we must mean that if they approach, the same result can be obtained at the end and therefore the same performance is obtained in both chips. The only point where you can see variation in the benchmarks is when you focus on the graphics where the M1s that have a 7-core GPU are slightly depleted. But this is the only difference that can be appreciated on paper of course.
What happens in the long term? Conclusions
Keep in mind that all this data is mainly focused on a given moment and mainly based on normal use. But then a normal user may ask, what is the difference in hardware between a MacBook Air and a MacBook Pro? The only difference is in the limitations that are imposed through the software. In the case of the Pro model, its M1 chip is not limited at all, being able to carry out its editing activity or other tasks with complete freedom. This is due to the fact that these models have a fan that allows all the heat that can be generated to dissipate.
In the case of the MacBook Air you can find something more limited to perform these tasks for several hours at a time. This is mainly due to the absence of any that can end up causing an increase in internal temperature. In this way, an important difference that exists between the two processors can be detected here, although a priori they may be exactly the same on paper.
