Apple’s affordable MacBook Neo is now available to buy, and we’re keen to learn more about its A18 Pro chip.
First introduced in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, A18 Pro promised to usher in “a new era of pro performance”. So, how does the A18 Pro compare to Apple’s first in-house processor, the desktop-level M1? With a four-year age gap between the two, is it a guarantee that the newer A18 Pro offers a faster performance than the 2020 M1? Or, because the M1 is designed for PCs, does it still reign supreme?
We’ve dissected the specs of both the A18 Pro and M1 and highlighted the key differences between the two below.
Want to know more about the MacBook Neo? Visit our MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air M1 and MacBook Neo vs iPad guides to see how the new affordable laptop measures up to its closest alternatives.
Otherwise, make sure you check out our list of the best student laptops and overall best laptops to find your next purchase.
Which devices include the A18 Pro chip?
Apple’s A18 Pro chip can be found in the following devices:
Remember that the A18 Pro is not the same as the A18 Bionic chip, which powers the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
Which devices include the M1 chip?
The M1 chip launched back in 2020 and was found within the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Unsurprisingly, as it’s been nearly six years since the launch, the MacBooks sporting M1 aren’t readily available to buy.
M1 has up to 8-core GPU
When Apple launched the M1, it was hailed as including “Apple’s most advanced GPU” and featured up to eight cores (in the MacBook Pro, or seven within the MacBook Air) which could run nearly 25,000 threads at once. This enabled the chip to handle more intensive and demanding tasks like rendering 3D scenes and video editing easier.
In our MacBook Air M1 review, we concluded that the GPU unit was “very capable” and able to cope brilliantly with everyday tasks and intensive ones like rendering 4K HDR video and opening large Raw files in Lightroom. We also found that its GPU was able to output to the 4K Pro Display XDR Monitor, which was something that previous MacBook Airs had struggled with.
Instead, the A18 Pro is fitted with a six-core GPU. Promised to be up to 20% faster than the previous generation, Apple claims that the A18 Pro’s GPU should drive graphics rendering for Apple Intelligence and visuals for gaming too. While in our experience some titles weren’t quite optimised, overall we found AAA games from the App Store ran brilliantly.
With this in mind, yes the A18 Pro is fitted with a slightly smaller six-core GPU, we still found that the chip runs brilliantly within the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
M1 includes an 8-core CPU
Following on from the above, regardless of whether you opted for the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, the M1 boasts an eight-core CPU. Made up of four performance and four high-efficiency cores, the CPU was once hailed by Apple as being the “world’s fastest” in a low-power silicon and “the world’s best CPU performance per watt”.
A18 Pro, on the other hand, is fitted with a 6-core CPU with two performance and four energy cores. Apple promises that the CPU runs 15% faster while using 20% less power than its predecessor. While we’re yet to review the MacBook Neo, Apple does promise it will see up to 16-hours of battery life on a single charge, which is a promising claim.
A18 Pro supports hardware accelerated ray tracing
One area where the A18 Pro has the edge over the M1 is with gaming, as it features hardware-accelerated ray tracing which enables the chip to showcase advanced light, shadow and reflection in video games. Essentially, it helps games look more realistic than otherwise.
In fact, the A18 Pro promises its hardware-accelerated ray tracing is up to two times faster than before.
In comparison, although the M1’s up-to-eight-core GPU will offer support for games, it does lack ray tracing capabilities, which means games won’t boast that photorealistic finish.
Both support Apple Intelligence
We should disclaim that although the MacBook Neo is powered by A18 Pro, it benefits from macOS and won’t run on iOS found on the iPhone. This is important to note, as it means the MacBook Neo will support desktop apps and not just rely on mobile ones.
Otherwise, both the A18 Pro and M1 chips are fitted with a 16-core Neural Engine and, subsequently, supports the Apple Intelligence toolkit, allowing you access to tools such as Image Playground, Notification Summaries, Live Translation and more.
