Without a doubt, many are wondering what Apple’s shift to their own custom ARM chipsets could mean in terms of pricing. Will Apple’s ARM computers cost more than Intel computers? According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, he speculates that there is a chance that it could actually be cheaper, and that we could actually be seeing a cheaper MacBook Air launch either later this year or 2021.
During WWDC 2020, Apple announced that they would be transitioning away from Intel processors to custom ARM-based chipsets. It is largely expected that the first ARM-based MacBook Pro will be arriving later in the year, and now thanks to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, we might have an idea of what to expect in 2021.
Rumors of a 14-inch MacBook Pro first made an appearance back in 2019, but if you were hoping to see it launch this year, prepare to be disappointed. This is according to a report from research firm TrendForce in which they allege that production of the laptop is only expected to begin in the first quarter of 2021.
When Apple announced their transition from Intel processors on their computers to a custom ARM-based silicon, naturally there are some questions regarding compatibility. This was mostly software related, but what about hardware? For those who might have been concerned about Thunderbolt, it seems that Apple will continue to use the standard in future devices.
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One of the benefits of Apple shifting to ARM-based chipsets is that it might address thermal issues that one might associate with regular computer processors. This also means that Apple could do away with additional components like a fan, and as a result, we could be seeing thinner laptops from the company in the future.
At Apple’s upcoming WWDC 2020 event, the company could unveil their plans to eventually introduce ARM-based chipsets to their Mac computers. However, there is a legitimate concern as to how they might hold up against Intel’s processors which have been powering Mac computers for the past decade or so.
According to the rumors, Apple is looking to transition from using Intel’s x86 processors to ARM-based processors. This would no doubt be a massive change for Mac users in the future, and as such, Apple is expected to make the transition slowly. We had initially heard that this could come in the form of the revived 12-inch MacBook.
The problem with a lot of digital assistants is that the processing is usually done in the cloud. This is why sometimes when you ask digital assistants like Siri a question, it can take a while for it to respond, but that’s something that Google will be changing with Google Assistant where last year, they announced that they would be baking Google Assistant into devices like their Pixel phones.
With Apple’s newer laptops, the company has essentially done away with older USB ports and instead furnished the laptops with USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports. However, due to the fact that many accessories out there today still largely rely on older USB connections, many MacBook users are turning to USB hubs and docks for now.
Lenovo Flex 5G Laptop Landing Worldwide This WeekEditor's Pick
Lenovo was the first PC OEM to demonstrate a 5G laptop at COMPUTEX 2019 with its Project Limitless 5G technology demonstration with Qualcomm, then announced this product at CES 2020 as Yoga 5G. Now that 5G networks are deployed worldwide, it is time for a full-on product to appear under the Lenovo Flex 5G name.
By all accounts and based on reviews, Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro is an incredibly powerful laptop where it can be used for gaming along with photo and video editing while on the go. However, in case you need an extra boost in terms of GPU, you might be interested to learn that Apple has given the laptop an upgrade.