So far, the M1 is available in only the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro but we expect to see an upgraded version of the chip (perhaps the M1X?) in the rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro and 14-inch MacBook Pro. So far, it's the most powerful mobile CPU in existence so long as your software runs natively on its ARM-based architecture. Other AMD chips that are non-Ryzen are less capable than a modern Core i5 or Core i7 and should only be considered when getting a very low price, rather than strong performance is your main concern.Īs for Apple, it currently has a single custom laptop chip called the M1. At this point, we can confidently recommend that you don't pay extra to get an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 if there is a cheaper AMD-powered version because the Ryzen 4000 and Ryzen 5000-series chips are so similar in performance.