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In November 2020, Apple announced its M1 chip.

The M1 chip marked the first time that Apple has used its own chips in its laptops and desktops. Prior to this, Mac products had used Intel processors.

There's a lot of excitement around the new M1 one chip, but can a chip really make a huge difference to the performance of Apple computers?

Read on to learn more.

What Is Apple's M1 Chip?

Apple describes the M1 as a system on a chip. This means that the standard computer components such as a CPU, GPU, RAM, etc. are all included on a single chip, instead of being separate components. Apple says that this helps the M1 to have better performance and efficiency.

Does this bear out in the real world? 

How Fast Is It?

Short answer: really fast! Apple claims that the M1 offers up to 3.5 times the CPU power of the previous Apple MacBooks and these figures seem to hold up to testing. Apple also claims that the chip is faster than 98% of PC laptops sold in the previous year.  

What's even more impressive is that in the Macbook Air, the chip is fanless. That means you get a much more powerful laptop, and never have to put up with the loud fan noise when the computer is under a heavy processing load.

What About Graphics?

Since this a system on a chip, the M1 is responsible for graphics too. It doesn't disappoint. 

Depending on the model you purchase, there will be up to eight cores that can run almost 25,000 threads simultaneously. That means it can handle intensive jobs such as streaming 4K video or rendering 3D graphics with ease.

Apple claims the M1 has the world's fastest integrated graphics for a personal computer.

How Is Battery Life?

This is one of the biggest benefits of Apple's new chip. By putting everything onto a single chip, Apple has been able to make things more efficient. 

This means that the new Apple Macbook Air offers 18 hours of battery life. That's a 50% increase on previous models that could only manage 12 hours between charges.

Effectively, if your Macbook Air is fully charged when you get up, it will still be going strong when you go to bed. This could be a serious game-changer for many people.

Are You Looking for an Apple Computer at a Great Price?

As you can see, the Apple M1 chip offers some impressive benefits. Of course, if you want to get your hands on a laptop that uses one, you'll need to pay for the privilege.

If you're interested in getting a high-quality Apple laptop, but don't want to break the bank, then take a look at our refurbished Apple laptops. All our laptops come with a one-year warranty and free delivery, so you know that you'll be getting a great laptop at a price you'll love.

Browse our refurbished laptops today.