mike@whichm.com

    Where you compare Macs by Price, Functionality, Performance.

    Not all MacBooks are the same. Which one is right for you? We help you make that decision.

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    M5 Base +

    MacBook Air 13"

    10 CPU, 10 GPU
    MacBook Air 13" (M5 Base+, 2026)
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    13-inch
    M5 Base +
    RAM options
    SSD options
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    Chip Compare.

    A comprehensive comparison of raw computational power across five generations of Apple Silicon.Click any point to view specifications.

    Chip Scores
    Heavy multitasking, video editing, compiling code.
    The Transition

    Old vs New Generation

    See how M1 Base + stacks up against the entire lineup of legacy Intel-based Macs it replaced.

    8 CPU, 8 GPU

    Architecture

    Chassis Matters.

    Raw speed isn't the only metric. Your workflow determines the thermal envelope you need.

    MacBook Air
    Ideally For Most

    MacBook Air

    The Silent Traveler

    Fanless Design

    Zero noise, ever. Passive cooling means no moving parts to break or clean.

    Liquid Retina Display

    Bright 13.6-inch or 15.3-inch screen with support for 1 billion colors.

    Burst Performance

    Incredible speed for short tasks like web browsing and app launching.

    Ultra Portable

    Thinner wedge design optimized for carry. Limited to 2x Thunderbolt ports.

    3 / 7

    The Lineup

    M1 Series

    2020-2022

    The breakthrough that started it all. Introduced Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) for unmatched efficiency per watt.

    • First Apple Silicon for Mac
    • Unified Memory Architecture (UMA)
    • Industry-leading battery life
    View Available Models

    M2 Series

    2022-2023

    Second generation 5nm refinement. Added hardware-accelerated ProRes media engine to standard chips.

    • ProRes encode/decode engine
    • Increased memory bandwidth
    • Support for up to 24GB RAM (Base)
    View Available Models

    M3 Series

    2023-2024

    First 3nm chips. Introduced hardware-accelerated ray tracing and Dynamic Caching for massive GPU gains.

    • Hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing
    • Dynamic Caching GPU architecture
    • AV1 decode support
    View Available Models

    M4 Series

    2024

    Second gen 3nm. Features the fastest Neural Engine yet (38 TOPS) built for Apple Intelligence workloads.

    • 38 TOPS Neural Engine
    • Second-generation 3nm process
    View Available Models

    M5 Series

    2025

    Released Oct 2025. Features per-core GPU Neural Accelerators and 3rd-gen 3nm process for a massive leap in AI and graphics performance.

    • GPU Neural Accelerators
    • 3rd-Gen 3nm Process
    • 45% Faster Ray Tracing
    View Available Models

    M6 Series

    2026

    Introduced August 2026 in Mac mini. Apple's first 2 nm chip brings a larger CPU and GPU, dual Neural Engines, and faster unified memory for everyday and on-device AI workloads.

    • First-generation 2 nm process
    • 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU
    • Dual 16-core Neural Engines
    • Up to 32GB unified memory · 170GB/s bandwidth
    View Available Models

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Apple Silicon refers to the series of system-on-a-chip (SoC) processors designed by Apple, starting with the M1. Unlike traditional Intel processors, these chips combine the CPU, GPU, Unified Memory, and Neural Engine onto a single efficient chip, delivering industry-leading performance-per-watt.

    MacBook AirBest for most users. It's fanless (silent), thin, and powerful enough for web browsing, office work, and light photo/video editing.
    MacBook ProBuilt for sustained workloads. It has active cooling (fans) to prevent throttling during long renders, compilation, or gaming. It also typically offers better screens (mini-LED/ProMotion) and more ports.

    Unlike traditional PCs where the CPU and GPU have separate memory pools, Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) allows all components of the chip to access the same data without copying it. This makes 8GB of Unified Memory perform significantly better than 8GB of traditional RAM, as data doesn't need to be duplicated between CPU and GPU.

    Mac MiniThe entry-level desktop. Perfect for general use, home servers, or light creative work. It packs incredible power in a tiny footprint.
    Mac StudioA workstation powerhouse. Designed for heavy 3D rendering, 8K video editing, and complex computations, offering the M-Max and M-Ultra chips with massive I/O.

    If you need a machine now, buy now. Apple Silicon updates are iterative. Moving from Intel to M1 was a revolution; M1 to M2/M3/M4 are evolutions. The performance jump between generations is noticeable but rarely worth waiting 6+ months for if your current machine is slowing you down.