Intel Mac vs Arm-Based Mac: Buy Now or Wait?

Apple announced plans to convert Intel’s Mac chips to ARM-based custom chips- Apple Silicone at its WWDC event. This is the chip designed and developed by Apple itself. There is no word when Apple will make its plan official.

If you are in the market for a new Mac, you must be wondering if you should buy an Intel Mac now or wait for the ARM Mac. For me, you should buy an Intel Mac now and here is why:

ARM-based Mac is Still A Mystery

Up until now, we have not heard much about an ARM-powered Mac. Everything we know is the ARM chip will be similar to the A-series ones found in iPhones and iPads.

It might take Apple at least 2 years to fully transition its Mac lineup to the Silicone ecosystem. Sources say that the 2021 Macs will still feature Intel chips under the hood. That sounds plausible as it will need more time to work on the new chip ahead of a public launch. Sources also say that ARM-based chips will make it easier for users to upgrade their Mac hardware.

Intel-powered Macs have their own ground on the market where Windows laptops now dominate. It’s not a good time for a full transition now, given that Intel-based Macs have seen a steady increase in sales in recent years. This gives Apple more time to work on its new ARM Mac.

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Apps Compatibility

One of the biggest problems the ARM-based Mac will face is app compatibility. Sources say that third-party macOS applications will not work properly on an ARM-based Macs. In contrast, Intel Mac can run all existing macOS apps and software.

Saving Money

Even though they still have powerful specs, Intel Mac will inevitably see a drop in price when the Mac ARM shows up, especially in the refurbished segment. You can easily grab yourself a good deal for a decent Intel Mac to suit your works and entertainment purposes.

ARM-Based Mac May Not Support Dual Boot

Windows 10 is compatible with Intel chips, so users can easily install a second operating system that runs alongside macOS using Boot Camp now. However, this may change as Boot Camp won’t be compatible with ARM-based Macs, which could be a little bit frustrating for those who want to run the dual OS on a Mac.

The ARM-based Windows 10 is out now, but there’s no word on how it will work on the new Mac yet. There are no current plans to make an Arm-based version of Windows that supports Macs. This means that the era of dual-boot Macs will come to an end.

Boot Camp on Mac

That’s it! what do you think about ARM-based Macs? Let me know in the comments!

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