We already know that Apple’s M1 chip is a powerful new processor but now there has been an astonishing breakthrough. An AWS Engineer has run Windows 10 on Apple’s M1 Chip using virtualization software, absolutely destroying the Surface Pro X’s benchmarks in the process.
This is amazing news because it means that Apple’s M1 runs Microsoft’s Windows faster than the Surface Pro X does! This is quite the achievement for Apple and quite embarrassing for Microsoft.
Windows on an M1 got a single-core score of 1,288 and multi-core score of 5,685 whereas the Surface Pro X’s scores were roughly 800 and 3,000 in those respective benchmarks.
Microsoft SQ® 1 and new Microsoft SQ® 2 processors powered by Qualcomm were specifically designed to combine blazing-fast connectivity you love from your smartphone, with the power of Windows 10 to get things done, and the speed you need to keep up throughout your day. Now, it looks like the ‘blazing fast’ claim is amateur at best when put next to the M1 Chip.
At the time of its release, Microsoft claimed that it had three times the performance of a MacBook Air while also having a 13h battery life but now not only is the M1 Chip faster than the Surface Pro X but it has more battery life, essentially leapfrogging Microsoft in the processor benchmark race.
The Surface Pro X prides itself on being one of the fastest devices on the market and historically Microsoft has always outdone Apple when it comes to processing power however it seems that Apple is starting to worry its competitors with its new M1 Chip.
What is the M1 Chip and why is it so fast?
The M1 is Apple’s first custom silicon system on a chip for use in its Mac computer lineup. Since 2006, all Macs have shipped with Intel chips. These utilized the x86 (and later, x86_64) architecture that’s also used on Windows PCs.
The M1 is different because it uses ARM architecture, which usually powers mobile or portable devices, like Apple’s iPhones and iPads. ARM uses a simplified instruction set compared to x86, which results in much lower power consumption. Since the M1 is a custom design, Apple has been able to make it do exactly what the company wants it to do and that’s the difference between the Surface Pro X’s processor and the M1.
The M1 is unique to Apple and they can tweak it to be as efficient as they want and now it can run Microsoft’s products even faster than they can themselves. The benefit of it being custom built is that many separate Mac components, like the GPU and T2 security chip, have been integrated into the M1’s design. This miniaturization process results in greater efficiency or much lower power consumption. It also allows Apple to do what it does best: design hardware and software in tandem so things “just work.”
The 8-Core CPU chip is so efficient because it dedicates power, graphics and performance evenly across its 8 cores leading to fewer power consumptions and a smoother user experience. The new M1 consumes around half as much power as the previous Intel chips, which means double the battery life. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 is quoted to handle an amazing 20 hours of video playback on a single charge, a few hours more battery life than the Surface X Pro.
Simply put the M1 Chip is faster because of its 8 Core components that are a lot more efficient at distributing workloads. The whole system is more efficient. For example, the new MacBooks with the M1 Chip have no traditional fan inside the devices. Instead, they have a custom-built ventilation system, making your MacBook experience perfectly quiet.
This also keeps the device cooler than typical Intel-based computers, this, in turn, helps the MacBook to run faster and doesn’t drain the battery.
Because the M1 Chip has shown that it is faster than the Surface Pro X, it means that applications, the main feature of today’s computers, will run much faster and effectively on the new MacBook with the M1 Chip.
The title race for the fastest processing power is beginning to change and this news is very promising for Apple and their new M1 Chip. Personally, we’re very excited to see further benchmark scores.
