Internal Apple rumor is that at least 2 leading engineers left project due to horrible throttling as top managers decided to not include any fans.

The MacBook Air is Apple's most popular Mac and the world's best-selling 13-inch notebook. Its powerful 8-core CPU performs up to 3.5x faster than the previous generation.

• With up to an 8-core GPU, graphics are up to 5x faster, the biggest leap ever for MacBook Air. ML workloads are up to 9x faster, so apps that use ML-based features like face recognition or object detection can do so in a fraction of the time.
• The M1 chip's storage controller and latest flash technology deliver up to 2x faster SSD performance, so previewing massive images or importing large files is faster than ever.
• MacBook Air also delivers this performance in a fanless design, which means no matter what users are doing, it remains completely silent.
• And the new MacBook Air features extraordinary battery life, with up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 18 hours of video playback --- the longest battery life ever on a MacBook Air.

The new MacBook Air is priced at $999, and $899 for education.

MacBook Pro, same low power M1 chip, but this time it has small active cooling (25w max dissipation)

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is Apple's most popular pro notebook. Its 8-core CPU, when paired with the MacBook Pro's active cooling system, is up to 2.8x faster than the previous generation, delivering game-changing performance when compiling code, transcoding video, editing high-resolution photos, and more.

• The 8-core GPU is up to 5x faster, allowing users to enjoy super smooth graphics performance whether they are designing a graphics-intensive game or a new product.
• ML is up to 11x faster.
• With up to 17 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 20 hours of video playback, MacBook Pro delivers up to twice the battery life of the previous generation and the longest battery life ever on a Mac.

Other new features in the new 13-inch MacBook Pro include 'studio-quality mics' for super clear recordings and calls, and Apple's latest camera ISP in the M1 chip enables sharper images and more detail in shadows and highlights on video calls. The new MacBook Pro also delivers best-in-class security with the Secure Enclave in M1 and Touch ID. And it features two Thunderbolt ports with USB 4 support to connect to more peripherals than ever, including Apple's Pro Display XDR in full 6K resolution.

It is available for the same starting price of just $1,299, and $1,199 for education.

Some hardware comments

• Almost totally unrepairable
• All parts cross signed and serialized, custom small chips
• DRAM impossible to replace
• If main LSI has any issues - your SSD is dead due to unnecessary integration
• Thermal issues, where OS always try to suddenly slow down cores or GPU or neuro ML to fit into thermal package

The biggest scam in computer history I think.

That chip it’s a lithographic achievement, all good, but the price they charge for that shit is too much for me to believe. Those margins they are getting Absolutely amazing. You can’t fix it on any way, and encryption just makes it a real pain in the ass.

In future when apple buys nvidia and all goes full circle we will have spectacular achievements real improvements!!!

This first gen is just the beginning.

Don’t buy it

One thing any missed

Air and even some Pro notebooks will have GPU with lot of disabled cores, not 8 as advertised.

I am very pissed off. I have invested for years in Mac platforms, I think Final Cut is the best editing software right now. The last months have started the big problems, between a limited eGpu recognition and many bugs. Apple started the transition of FCPX before moving to Silicon. To be exact, until version 10.4.6 everything was ok, after that the disaster started. I'm seriously thinking about a transition to Davinci Resolve, is anyone using it in Linux environment?

Some closed Rosetta 2 info

Apple will decide on app per app basis and won't allow running some software via Rosetta 2. Some apps that are competitors with Apple own apps can be in banned list.

This app also will sent statistics to Apple servers for your usage of Intel based apps. Rumors are that Apple will also resend info to authors of the software to find unauthorized users.

Apple will terminate Rossetta 2 in some moment int he future, software will be fully removed using commend from Apple server. This had been already discussed internally, times discussed had been 1-2 years, not more.

Any modern app using AVX and similar instructions will be also rejected.

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apple_silicon/about_the_rosetta_translation_environment

There are some other key limitations with the M1 worth mentioning. Macs with the new chip will not work with external GPUs, Apple says. That’s a particularly tricky constraint for the new Mac mini, which is already hamstrung by its memory ceiling and furthermore can’t be used with a more powerful graphics chip and enclosure combo, as some of have done in the past with Apple laptops and the 2018 and earlier Mac minis. Apple also says the RAM on M1 models is not upgradable — it’s integrated into the system-on-a-chip, so you can’t upgrade an 8GB model with another stick of RAM.

Memory is also not repairable even with using chips soldering now.

Now any, even local and small issue with memory, GPU, CPU, hub, SSD controller means that your computer is done. Not repairable totally. Only replaceable in official service center (read -80-90% of new notebook price).

Even more fun is that rumors are that 8GB DRAM models actually have 16GB on M1 die, but it is switched off.

@kurth

It's all about software compatibility. How good they run logic and fcp.

My Apple source told that Pro notebook will be quite good int his regard, as Apple worked hard to offload as much as possible from only 4 weak CPUs inot GPU, ML and video engine,

Another small info

With M1 Apple now gets main LSI for extremely cheap price. DRAM is also around 25% cheaper now for them.

Main new goal, and hence all thus bla-bla on efficiency - is to cut 100Wh battery of Mac PRo notes into 52-75Wh battery, as battery became most expensive item after screen that Apple buys.

In this generation Apple also reduced cost of notebook case (including screen part) by 20% by using parts with less metal and much cheaper processing.

Internal reported margin (due to cheaper NAND and DRAM costs, very cheap M1, much simpler board, cheaper and less powerful DC-DC converters and integration) increased by more than 35% for entry level model of Air and up to 65% for top Mac Pro.

Nice table on difference

well...the problem is the only alternative to running apple apps is on an almost equally priced and untested hackintosh. So ? In 6 months , might be a good time to buy a used mac mini. I like the 2012 ....usb 3 , firewire and thunderbolt. One of the last of the firewire macs. Those prices should be falling....unless everybody's thinking like me. And ps.....those educational discounts are not cutting as deep as they used to.