Apple M1 vs Intel Core i5-8250U

The Intel Core i5-8250U, based on the Kaby Lake U Refresh architecture, was introduced in late 2017 for the mainstream laptop market.

Manufactured on a 14 nm process, this processor features four cores and eight threads with 6 MB of Level 3 Cache. Its integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 offers basic graphics performance. In terms of single-core and multi-core performance, it lags behind the Apple M1.

For gaming, the Intel UHD Graphics 620 is only suitable for very simple or older titles. Its power consumption is moderate for a mobile device, but not at the efficiency level of more modern architectures. The Intel Core i5-8250U is mainly found in used devices today, which can mean an attractive price-performance ratio for simple tasks.

The Apple M1 processor, introduced in late 2020, marked Apple's transition to ARM-based systems for laptops and desktops. Manufactured on an advanced 5 nm process, this chip combines eight cores (four performance cores, four efficiency cores) with 16 MB of Level 2 Cache. Its integrated Apple M1 (8 Core) graphics unit is significantly superior to the Intel UHD Graphics 620 and offers good performance for more demanding applications and gaming.

The Apple M1 significantly surpasses the Intel Core i5-8250U in both single-core and multi-core performance. Its outstanding energy efficiency enables high performance with low power consumption, leading to longer battery life. It is available in current Apple devices and offers a very good overall performance-to-price ratio.