Friday, March 27th 2020

Apple ARM Based MacBooks and iMacs to come in 2021

Apple has been working on replacing Intel CPUs in its lineup of products for a while now, and the first batch of products to feature the new Arm-based CPUs should be coming soon. Having a completely custom CPU inside it's MacBook or an iMac device will allow Apple to overtake control of the performance and security of those devices, just like they did with their iPhone models. Apple has proved that its custom-built CPUs based on Arm Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) can be very powerful and match Intel's best offerings, all while being much more efficient with a TDP of only a few Watts.

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has started an "aggressive processor replacement strategy", which should give some results by the end of 2020, around Q4, or the beginning of 2021 when the first quarter arrives. According to Kuo, the approach of doing in-house design will result in not only tighter control of the system, but rather a financial benefit, as the custom processor will be 40% to 60% cheaper compared to current Intel CPU prices.
Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro
Source: AppleInsider
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98 Comments on Apple ARM Based MacBooks and iMacs to come in 2021

#51
TheoneandonlyMrK
ARFIt's not only Geekbench. I can compare the responsiveness of my phone with MediaTek MT6750T, an 8-core ARM phone-CPU with my desktop and to be honest the desktop feels less responsive, and yet consumes a heck of a lot more power.
So your phone loads crysis better than your pc, perspective blowout.
Perspective blown out of ass actually.
Posted on Reply
#52
dyonoctis
ARFSure... :kookoo:

Ampere Altra is the first 80-core ARM-based server processor
venturebeat.com/2020/03/03/ampere-altra-is-the-first-80-core-arm-based-server-processor/

80 cores at 210-watt TDP and faster than AMD's 64-core and Intel 56-core server CPUs.



They can do chiplets. Imagine 20 ARM chiplets in 60-watt.
I'm just going to wait 2021 for real world benchmark on photoshop and after effect before shouting everywhere that x86 is dead. That ARM cpu is only faster by 4% while having 80 cores. Apple can afford such a bold move, but for the whole PC industry to move to ARM, we will need something better than a 4% performance advantage, this isn't going to be enough to make up for the downsides. So far ARM x Windows hasn't been brillant...for some reason the surface pro x doesn't have a tangible edge over the surface pro 7 in battery life
Posted on Reply
#53
ARF
theoneandonlymrkSo your phone loads crysis better than your pc, perspective blowout.
Perspective blown out of ass actually.
dyonoctisI'm just going to wait 2021 for real world benchmark on photoshop and after effect before shouting everywhere that x86 is dead. That ARM cpu is only faster by 4% while having 80 cores. Apple can afford such a bold move, but for the whole PC industry to move to ARM, we will need something better than a 4% performance advantage, this isn't going to be enough to make up for the downsides. So far ARM x Windows hasn't been brillant
4% higher performance than the current fastest, and in 14% less power consumption.
It's running at 3 GHz, it's the first generation, clients already express interest and the software ecosystem is ready. Windows is ready. Linux is ready. Server software is ready.

As for PC, it's a declining market and PC gaming is a niche. They can move to consoles, while everything else from netbooks, to notebooks for light use and others become ARM-only.
Posted on Reply
#54
theFOoL
Vya DomusI don't know what it would take for people to finally realize that this is simply untrue.
you are right. An Arm based is just a Atom cpu on crack :laugh:
Posted on Reply
#55
TheoneandonlyMrK
ARF4% higher performance than the current fastest, and in 14% less power consumption.
It's running at 3 GHz, it's the first generation, clients already express interest and the software ecosystem is ready. Windows is ready. Linux is ready. Server software is ready.

As for PC, it's a declining market and PC gaming is a niche. They can move to consoles, while everything else from netbooks, to notebooks for light use and others become ARM-only.
You can chat whatever random nonsense you want , your phone can't run crysis.

Mission failed.
Posted on Reply
#56
ARF
theoneandonlymrkYou can chat whatever random nonsense you want , your phone can't run crysis.

Mission failed.
Who told you this?

NVIDIA ports Crysis and Doom for Android on the $199 Shield set-top box
www.phonearena.com/news/NVIDIA-ports-Crysis-and-Doom-for-Android-on-the-199-Shield-set-top-box_id66805
To this day, everyone snubbed mobile platforms when it comes to serious gaming with the rhetorical question Will it blend? "But can I play Crysis?" Yes, now you can, as NVIDIA has ported Crysis 3, and plenty of other blockbusters to run on its fresh NVIDIA Shield set-top box.

This Android TV gear is powered by NVIDIA's hardcore X1 chip, of course, so that's one of the reasons you can play Crysis 3 on it.
Posted on Reply
#57
dyonoctis
ARF4% higher performance than the current fastest, and in 14% less power consumption.
It's running at 3 GHz, it's the first generation, clients already express interest and the software ecosystem is ready. Windows is ready. Linux is ready. Server software is ready.

As for PC, it's a declining market and PC gaming is a niche. They can move to consoles, while everything else from netbooks, to notebooks for light use and others become ARM-only.
For a server it's great, but that +4% perf while having 25% more cores means that task that aren't heavily multithreated are going to suffer.
Your ARM big overtaking plan seems to disregard all the people who aren't just doing ligth work. Pc's with arm already exist but aren't convincing performance wise, or even battery life wise. The surface pro X is a fail since it doesn't beat the pro 7 on battery life, while being restricted on app compatibility. And devs are not going to code for ARM, if peoples aren't buying those machines...so yhea I'm super doubtfull about it at the moment. Seems great on paper, but the real world results aren't there yet.
You would have to show me the numbers that told you that pc gaming is a niche compared to console, when the numbers that I've found says that it's still a proftable market :
Posted on Reply
#58
claes
A lot of the speculation here seems pretty far out of left field.

Apple just released a MacBook Air refresh, based on the design from 2018 + new keyboard. The previous redesign was in 2010. That's a life-cycle of 8 years.

MB Pro redesigns: 2012, 2016, 2019. 3-4 years for their most popular computer.

Mac Pro just saw it's first redesign since 2012...

They just released the new iPad Pro -- an Arm based tablet with keyboard and trackpad support.

There's no way they're going to trash the MBP, MP, and Air for ARM. A new product line to replace the MB and act as an AIO upgrade for the iPad Pro? Sure.

Ditching x86 entirely two years after a bunch of content creators just spend $6k+ on a new Mac Pro? Not a chance.

(Imagine the likes of Pixar holding onto MacOS while everyone else moved to Windows after the trashcan and Final Cut fiascos, their sigh of relief when the new Pro came out, only to find that their product is legacy three years after purchase. Imagine the developers of video editing software... Seriously lol stuff here).
Posted on Reply
#59
ARF
dyonoctisFor a server it's great, but that +4% perf while having 25% more cores means that task that aren't heavily multithreated are going to suffer.
Your ARM big overtaking plan seems to disregard all the people who aren't just doing ligth work. Pc's with arm already exist but aren't convincing performance wise, or even battery life wise. The surface pro X is a fail since it doesn't beat the pro 7 on battery life, while being restricted on app compatibility. And devs are not going to code for ARM, if peoples aren't buying those machines...so yhea I'm super doubtfull about it at the moment. Seems great on paper, but the real world results aren't there yet.
You would have to show me the numbers that told you that pc gaming is a niche compared to console, when the numbers that I've found says that it's still a proftable market :
From your own image, you can see that the PC segment is the smallest, Mobile and Consoles outweigh it.

Also, devs already code for Android and Apple Store and all the apps are there - Office, internet, games, videos, anything you want.

You can do with your smartphone 2 to 3 days normal load, and this with its very small battery capacity.
Show me a x86 notebook that can last 2 days on a battery? That's 48 hours!
Posted on Reply
#60
claes
I don’t understand your argument; don’t tablets already exist?
Posted on Reply
#61
Vya Domus
ARFWho told you this?

NVIDIA ports Crysis and Doom for Android on the $199 Shield set-top box
www.phonearena.com/news/NVIDIA-ports-Crysis-and-Doom-for-Android-on-the-199-Shield-set-top-box_id66805
Nice try, but someone should have told you this :

That is from 2015, the port never existed, it was pulled down from the advertisements the day Shield TV came out. Likely the demos were completely made up and not running on an actual Tegra X1. I remember watching an interview with someone who worked on it (I think or something like that) and the guy didn't even know under what API this was working.

So, no, Crysis doesn't run on ARM.
ARF80 cores at 210-watt TDP and faster than AMD's 64-core and Intel 56-core server CPUs.
And they only needed 25% more cores for a "4% faster". :roll:

And that is according to whoever wrote the article, whatever that's worth.
Posted on Reply
#62
ARF
Vya DomusSo, no, Crysis doesn't run on ARM.
I don't care that Crysis doesn't run. It's exclusivity thing, no one made it reality.

Crysis is irrelevant in 2020. No one cares about Crysis these days.

Who brought this argument for the sake of trolling?!
Posted on Reply
#63
Vya Domus
ARFI don't care that Crysis doesn't run. It's exclusivity thing, no one made it reality.
You cared enough to pull an obscure failed attempt from years ago where someone had a go at porting something that clearly was never going to work.
Posted on Reply
#65
ARF
Vya DomusYou cared enough to pull an obscure failed attempt from years ago where someone had a go at porting something that clearly was never going to work.
Crysis doesn't run properly on 90% of the PCs that are up and running today.
So, what exactly do you want to prove by Crysis doesn't run?!

Crysis doesn't, but million other games do!
Posted on Reply
#66
TheoneandonlyMrK
ARFCrysis doesn't run properly on 90% of the PCs that are up and running today.
So, what exactly do you want to prove by Crysis doesn't run?!

Crysis doesn't, but million other games do!
Nonesense, it ilucidated the point x86 apps can't all be ported adequately , and will for a while yet.
Plenty care and can still play it, might be getting a redux Even.

They Can change chips but consumer's can change brand loyalty, see which gives.
Posted on Reply
#67
ARF
theoneandonlymrkNonesense, it ilucidated the point x86 apps can't all be ported adequately , and will for a while yet.
Plenty care and can still play it, might be getting a redux Even.

They Can change chips but consumer's can change brand loyalty, see which gives.
Nonsense. Everyone hates Intel and its x86.

That's why you see all the time the meme "RIP Intel".
Posted on Reply
#68
Vya Domus
ARFCrysis doesn't run properly on 90% of the PCs that are up and running today.
Yeah it does, check out the Steam survey, you'll be pleased to find out that the overwhelming amount of hardware listed there can run Crysis and games alike just fine.

Even your average 500$ laptop with integrated graphics can run Crysis. It'd look like garbage but it would run quite well.
ARFSo, what exactly do you want to prove by Crysis doesn't run?!
What exactly did you wanted to prove when you posted that article ? theoneandonlymrk said your phone can't run Crysis and he was right.
ARFCrysis doesn't, but million other games do!
Which are no where as demanding. Be real, even the Nintendo Switch which is a dedicated console can barely run games of that scale with abhorrent frame rates and visuals.
Posted on Reply
#69
TheoneandonlyMrK
ARFNonsense. Everyone hates Intel and its x86.

That's why you see all the time the meme "RIP Intel".
Some oddballs hate intel, most don't give a shit, you see that because your an enthusiast, hint skewed perspective strikes again.
Posted on Reply
#70
ARF
Vya DomusWhat exactly did you wanted to prove when you posted that article ? theoneandonlymrk said your phone can't run Crysis and he was right.
He was wrong. Crysis will run on modern smartphones with 3-watt ARM SoCs on low just fine.
Posted on Reply
#71
Vya Domus
ARFCrysis will run on modern smartphones with 3-watt ARM SoCs on low just fine.
Nah man, I think it would run on 10mhz ARM microcontrollers as well and other hilarious jokes you can tell yourself.

It's all a conspiracy from Intel and AMD to make us believe we need their many more watts CPUs and GPUs if we want to run Crysis.
Posted on Reply
#72
claes
ARFHe was wrong. Crysis will run on modern smartphones with 3-watt ARM SoCs on low just fine.
You’re just trolling, right?
Posted on Reply
#73
Vya Domus
claesYou’re just trolling, right?
We have to fear the worst at this point ... he might not.
Posted on Reply
#74
dyonoctis
ARFFrom your own image, you can see that the PC segment is the smallest, Mobile and Consoles outweigh it.

Also, devs already code for Android and Apple Store and all the apps are there - Office, internet, games, videos, anything you want.

You can do with your smartphone 2 to 3 days normal load, and this with its very small battery capacity.
Show me a x86 notebook that can last 2 days on a battery? That's 48 hours!
Yes, it's smaller, but it's far from being "niche" 24% is a lot of money, that's not what you call a market worth being ignored . Remember how windows phone couldn't get apps even when they tried to make it easier for devs ? Apple got an edge because of the surface pro already having apps like procreate and affinity photo...who are both ignoring android even thought the galaxy tab S6 is a thing.

Light users won't really care, but the people mixing apps like photoshop, after effect with c4d, maya, 3dsmax, are not going to make a switch until everything is smooth...wich is going to take a while seeing how qualcomm focus isn't on high performance yet.

And again you talk about phones lasting 2 days when comparing them to x86 notebook when the arm notebook that are currently on the market can't last 2 days, and do barely better than their current x86 counterpart.

I get that arm got a few advantages that looks neat. But the picture that I see so far show me a futur where Arm and x86-64 are going to co-exist. The former on notebooks for light task, the latter on computers that will be used for heavy work/gaming.

I'm a multimedia infographist, and so far qualcomm hasn't teased anything that could replace my current workstation, and a fair amount of the apps that I'm using haven't talked about an arm version, and don't currently have an android/ios equivalent. You can't say that a new product will kill an older product if he can't fully replace it without hidering a userbase that still matter even if they are not the majority.
Posted on Reply
#75
TheoneandonlyMrK
ARFHe was wrong. Crysis will run on modern smartphones with 3-watt ARM SoCs on low just fine.
No it won't ,that was not crysis, it Was a watered down waterered down crysis port that wasn't released.


I can put together something showing crysis working on a abacus then not release , would that make it real.
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