Apple has finally unveiled its first Apple Silicon computer chip, the M1. The company also offered a look at the first two laptops powered by the chip, the new MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
The announcements took place at Apple’s big “One More Thing” event yesterday evening. Apple had previously promised that it would launch its first Arm-based Mac before the end of the year, but instead it launched three: two MacBooks and a refresh of the Mac mini.
The MacBooks are available to pre-order now, but where can you get them? Here’s how to get your hands on the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with an M1 chip.
Related: MacBook Air M1
How to pre-order the new MacBook Air M1 and MacBook Pro M1
The MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip will be available in selected Apple Store locations and through Apple Authorised Resellers from November 17. However, you can pre-order both from Apple’s website right now.
Prices for the MacBook Air start at £999/$999. The ultrabook comes packed with the Apple M1 chip with an 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU and 256GB of storage. There’s also the option to upgrade to an 8-core GPU and 512GB of storage for £1249/$1249. Both models come in Space Grey, Gold and Silver colours.
The new 13-inch MacBook Pro also comes with two storage options, with the first beginning at £1299/$1299. For this price, you’ll get an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 256GB to work with. Upgrade to 512GB of storage and the laptop will set you back £1499/$1499.
Related: 13-inch MacBook Pro M1
But, why upgrade to the M1 chip?
The M1 is the first Arm-based processor designed by Apple specifically for the Mac and marks the beginning of a two-year transition from Intel to Apple’s own Silicon chips.
Apple claims the M1 is capable of delivering up to three and a half times faster CPU, up to six times faster GPU and up to 15 times faster machine learning, with a battery life up to twice that of its predecessors.
The chip will also make it significantly easier for developers to create apps that work across the Apple ecosystem making it a perfect fit for the MacBook line.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
