Intel Core i5-7360U vs Apple M1

The Intel Core i5-7360U is based on the Kaby Lake U architecture and was primarily designed for mobile devices.

Manufactured using the 14-nanometer process, this processor features two physical cores and three megabytes of L3 cache. Computing performance in single-core and multi-core scenarios lags significantly behind modern solutions, which is reflected in internal measurements. Equipped with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, the unit handles simple graphical tasks but quickly reaches technical limits with modern games.

The thermal design power is optimized for use in thin housings but limits sustained performance under high load. Currently, the Intel Core i5-7360U is mainly found in older devices. It is primarily recommended for users with low computing requirements, such as word processing. The Apple M1 marks the transition to a highly efficient System-on-a-Chip architecture and is produced using the modern 5-nanometer process.

It is aimed at users who require high system speed with low energy consumption. The chip features eight cores and sixteen megabytes of L2 cache. In common comparative tests, the Apple M1 is significantly ahead of the Intel competitor in both single-core and multi-core performance. With the integrated Apple M1 (8 Core) graphics unit, the chip offers superior performance for visual applications and casual gaming.

Power consumption is exceptionally low, often allowing for passive cooling without a fan. Despite being tied to the Apple ecosystem, the hardware offers an excellent ratio of performance to energy consumption. The Apple M1 is thus the preferred choice for CPU-intensive tasks such as image editing and demanding multitasking.