Apple is known for experimenting with its products and services. The Cupertino giant knows what a customer wants, which fuels their drive for trying various experiments. The Apple Silicon M1 Chip is a great example of how Apple tried and succeeded, rivaling the good old Intel.
As we all know, nothing Apple offers is impeccable; its products come with their sweet flaws. One of them is how the product has been designed. I cannot differentiate between the 2018 MacBook and the 2021 MacBook; that is true for many products (hi, Samsung!) This is a problem for Mac users as Intel-based Macs will thrive for a long time before Apple Silicon takes over completely. Moreover, unlike Windows machines, Mac doesn’t come with Intel stickers, making it hard to identify non-Intel Macs.
Many consumers want to know the trick to identify the processor of their Mac, which sounds weird but hey, I am here to help technologically challenged folks. And if you are one of them who wants to know how to check if your Mac has an M1 chip, this small guide will help you.
Mac computers with Apple Silicon
Mac computers with Apple silicon:
- MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021)
- MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)
- iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021)
- Mac mini (M1, 2020)
- MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020)
Related | How to Factory Reset M1 MacBook Air & Pro
How to check if your Mac has an M1 chip
Since there are no Intel stickers on any Apple Macs, you’ll have to use the software feature to know whether or not your Mac has the M1 chip. To do so, follow the steps listed below.
Step 1: Open to your Mac.
Step 2: Tap on the Apple icon located at the top-left corner of the menu bar.
Step 3: Now select ‘About This Mac.’ This is the place you will find the particular software and hardware information about your Mac.
Here you’ll see the MacBook version, the chip, the RAM, Startup disk, Serial number, Processor, and Graphics. If in the ‘Chip’ segment you see Apple M1, your Mac is equipped with an Apple Silicon CPU. If in the ‘Processor’ you see Intel, then your Mac is an Intel one.
A little tip: Only Intel MacBooks will have Processor and Graphics segment.
FAQs
How do I know if my Mac has an M1 chip?
Tap on the Apple menu > select the ‘About This Mac’ > Look for ‘Processor’ or ‘Chip’ in the About This Mac window.
Which Macs have the M1 chip?
All the MacBooks released in 2020 - MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini – are equipped with M1 chips that replace the Intel processor. Apple has also launched the iMac and the iPad Pro with M1 chips.
Is the Apple M1 chip better than Intel?
Yes, critics say that the Apple M1 chip is better than Intel in many ways – including performance, day-to-day use, and gaming. Although not many applications are supported, developers are working on them.
Is Apple M1 chip good for gaming?
Yes, Apple’s M1 chip is great for gaming, critics say. The fact that this is Apple’s first generation of in-house silicon. So, expect the upcoming generations to be faster and better than Intel.
What is the Apple M1 chip equivalent to?
Apple suggests that the M1 chip is better and faster than the Intel processors. The usual performance of the M1 MacBook Air is 3.5 times faster than the Intel variants. The graphics performance is also five times faster.
Conclusion
This is how to check if your Mac has an M1 chip. Many Macs look the same from the outside, but I don’t think you’d want to know the difference by opening a Mac.
We provide similar how-tos and queries related to Mac, so click on other links or comment below a specific issue you are facing with your Mac.
