Apple launched its first iMac desktop and iPad Pro line with M1 (the M1 MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini shipped late last year). Early reviews applauded the latest models for unmatched performance speeds, long-lasting batteries and better graphics, all due in part to the processor.
It was a pivotal moment: the first time Apple had made its own chip for any of its computers, shifting away from years of using a one-size-fits-all option from Intel.
After multiple teams tested the devices for a few hours while working on tasks, they reported lightning-fast performance but nearly all flagged an apparent problem. The MacBook Pro’s battery indicator, featured on the upper right hand corner of the computers, was broken. It had barely moved despite running power-hungry programs
For the iMac specifically, the design is also a technical feat: Because the M1 is so efficient, Apple was able to tuck two compact fans into the computer screen rather than an elaborate, bigger cooling system. The components were ultimately squeezed inside a smaller logic board so the entire computer measures just 11.5 millimeters deep.
Apple also claims the M1 offers the world’s fastest CPU core and fastest integrated graphics in a personal computer, with 3.5 times faster performance, up to 6 times faster graphics processing and 15 times faster machine learning compared to previous-generation Macs.
But the cost clearly isn’t stopping Apple. The company previously said in a press release that M1 is the start of a new family of chips designed specifically for the Mac.” Future iterations will serve as an insurance policy for future Apple innovation.
