I am preparing to purchase a Mac and have researched the computer’s hardware configuration. I learned that Mac machines have Intel and Apple silicon processors. So, what is the processor in a Mac computer? If I have a Mac computer, how do I know the processor of my Mac? I worry the merchant will give me the wrong Mac model. By the way, which processor is better for Intel vs. Apple silicon?
I can answer your question about “What is the process in a Mac computer?”.
In a Mac computer, the processor is usually referred to as the CPU (Central Processing Unit). As its name suggests, the processor is the primary component responsible for processing data and executing instructions. It carries out tasks and computations, handles decision-making, and performs billions of operations per second to run operating systems, applications, and other functions on a computer.
You can think of it as the brain of the computer. Without it, the computer won’t work.
The key components of a processor include cores, clock speed, cache memory, and threads.
- Cores: The processor can contain dual or multiple cores and each one is an individual processing unit. Multiple cores in the processor can simultaneously handle different tasks.
- Clock Speed: It is measured in GHz and shows how fast a processor can execute instructions. The higher clock speeds a processor has, the faster processing power it indicates.
- Cache memory: It refers to the small amount of high-speed memory that stores frequently used data and instructions close to the core. It accelerates data access and improves the processor’s task-processing ability.
- Threads: It refers to the smallest sequence of programmed instructions. If a core can handle multiple threads, the processor will have high multitasking efficiency.
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On a Mac, you can click the Apple icon at the upper left corner of your screen and select About This Mac to check the processor of your Mac. On the pop-up, you can see information like 1.1 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i3 in the Processor section, which are the details about your processor.
1.1 GHz means that the clock speed of your processor is 1.1 (Higher is better). Dual-core means your processor has two cores (more is better). Intel Core i3 indicates the processor on the Mac is the entry-level one of Intel’s Core series because the series includes Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9.
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In general, there are two main families of processors - Intel and Apple silicon. Mac devices produced in early 20220 and before are equipped with Intel processors, including Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9.
Mac computers released in late 2020 and later are equipped with Apple silicon processors, including Apple M1, M2, M3, and M4 chips.
When comes to Intel vs. Apple silicon, I suggest you choose Apple silicon. That’s because Apple has transitioned from Intel processors to their self-designed Apple silicon processors from late 2020. Apple silicon processors with multiple cores and are specially produced for the Mac models.
If you want to learn more, read: Intel vs. M1/M2/M3 Apple Silicon
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