Chapter 1: The Shift from Intel to Apple Silicon

In the autumn of 2016, I purchased a 13-inch MacBook Pro equipped with an Intel Skylake processor. Unbeknownst to me, this would be my final Mac laptop featuring an Intel CPU, a shift primarily influenced by Intel's inability to sustain its tick-tock production model (die shrink/microarchitecture).

Intel's troubles began with Skylake's predecessor, the 14nm Broadwell tick, which followed the 22nm Haswell tock. A 2013 ArsTechnica article titled "BROADWELL UNWELL" noted that during a third-quarter earnings call, CEO Brian Krzanich revealed delays in the production of Broadwell CPUs due to manufacturing complications. Reports indicated that a "defect density issue" in the new 14nm process was leading to disappointing yield rates, and initial fixes failed to meet expectations. Krzanich asserted confidence in resolving the matter, describing it as merely a "minor hiccup in the schedule."

However, these manufacturing challenges intensified with Skylake. According to former Intel engineer François Piednoël, the lack of quality assurance in Skylake forced Apple to report numerous bugs. This mounting frustration likely pushed Apple toward abandoning Intel CPUs:

"We were receiving way too many reports on minor issues, and essentially, Apple became the top filer of problems related to the architecture. That situation deteriorated quickly. When a customer discovers nearly as many bugs as you do, you're clearly not heading in the right direction."

"For me, this marks a turning point. This is when the Apple team members who were contemplating a switch seriously considered it and said, 'We probably need to make the change.' Essentially, Skylake's poor quality control compelled them to depart from the platform. I believe I witnessed this pivotal moment about three years ago when they decided it was time to act."

More damaging than the quality control issues was Intel's failure to transition from its 14nm process. From Broadwell to Skylake, Kaby Lake, Coffee Lake, Whiskey Lake, Comet Lake, and Rocket Lake, Intel continued to churn out 14nm CPUs for seven years. In contrast, Apple's A-Series chips advanced from the 20nm A8 to the 5nm A14. Whatever the initial motivation, Intel's consistent missteps made Apple's transition to its own silicon unavoidable.

Apple’s Game-Changing M1 Chip

On November 10, 2020, Apple unveiled its M1 System on Chip (SoC) for entry-level Macs. This immediately elevated the MacBook Air’s Geekbench 5 single-core and multi-core scores from 1,127/2,944 (Intel model) to an impressive 1,678/7,225. The M1 not only proved to be extraordinarily powerful but also incredibly energy-efficient. Apple claimed that the M1 consumed a fraction of the energy used by Intel-based PCs while achieving peak performance with only 25% of the power.

Less than a year after the M1's impressive debut, Apple introduced the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, boasting "up to 70 percent faster CPU performance than M1." Just five months later, the Mac Studio with the M1 Ultra chip launched, significantly outperforming the Intel-based Mac Pro, which was the last Intel Mac standing.

Apple has already begun rolling out its second generation of chips, including the M2 in June and the M2 Pro and M2 Max in January. With rumors of an upcoming Mac Pro featuring Apple silicon and TSMC's next-generation 3nm process secured for future chips, the best is yet to come for Apple customers.

The CPU Wars: A Non-Zero-Sum Game

While it may seem like Mac buyers are the primary victors in the CPU wars, the reality is more complex. Similar to Amy Adams' character in the 2016 film Arrival, this landscape resembles a non-zero-sum game. Intel clients need not suffer losses just because Apple customers gain advantages.

Despite Intel's struggles leading up to Apple’s silicon launch, the company appointed Pat Gelsinger as its new CEO. Under Gelsinger's leadership, Intel's long-standing issues with its 10nm process have finally been addressed, resulting in a greater output of 10nm wafers than 14nm. Moreover, the release of Alder Lake CPUs based on the Intel 7 process node occurred shortly thereafter.

Video: AMD vs Intel vs ARM: Who is winning the Server CPU War?

This video discusses the ongoing competition among AMD, Intel, and ARM in the server CPU market, examining their strengths and weaknesses.

A Rising Tide for All

The technology battle is not just beneficial for Apple and Intel customers. AMD launched its Zen 4 architecture-based Ryzen 7000 series CPUs on September 27, 2022. IBM introduced the world's first 2nm chip in May 2021 and is collaborating with Rapidus to produce 2nm chips in Japan. Samsung commenced production of 3nm chips in June 2022, and Qualcomm plans to unveil next-gen SnapDragon CPUs next year, leveraging technology developed by former Apple engineers through its acquisition of Nuvia. It seems that every player is raising their game.

A Brighter Future for CPUs

After a tumultuous decade for Intel, the personal computer CPU market has emerged stronger than ever. My recent experiences with an M2 Pro Mac mini and an i5–12500 (Alder Lake) Dell OptiPlex SFF Desktop exemplify this resurgence. The Mac mini is twice as fast as the M1 MacBook Air it replaces, and the Dell OptiPlex outperforms the Acer Aspire Desktop it replaces by threefold. Following years of mediocre advancements, the options available for new computers are now truly exceptional, a trend that seems poised to continue for the foreseeable future.

Video: How AMD is Winning the CPU Wars

This video delves into how AMD has positioned itself as a formidable competitor in the CPU market, highlighting its strategies and innovations.

If you found this article engaging, consider becoming a member (Link here) for access to more great content on Medium. Your membership fee will help support my work on this platform. If you're interested in tech histories, you can read about my journey on the StarLAN team at Bell Labs and how it led to a successful software startup in Software Engineering: A Better Life. For brain games, check out my iPhone apps: Brain Arcade, Brain Monitor, and Word Golf Ace.