Discussion Apple Silicon SoC thread

[Eug]

M1
5 nm
Unified memory architecture - LP-DDR4
16 billion transistors

8-core CPU

4 high-performance cores
192 KB instruction cache
128 KB data cache
Shared 12 MB L2 cache

4 high-efficiency cores
128 KB instruction cache
64 KB data cache
Shared 4 MB L2 cache
(Apple claims the 4 high-effiency cores alone perform like a dual-core Intel MacBook Air)

8-core iGPU (but there is a 7-core variant, likely with one inactive core)
128 execution units
Up to 24576 concurrent threads
2.6 Teraflops
82 Gigatexels/s
41 gigapixels/s

16-core neural engine
Secure Enclave
USB 4

Products:
$999 ($899 edu) 13" MacBook Air (fanless) - 18 hour video playback battery life
$699 Mac mini (with fan)
$1299 ($1199 edu) 13" MacBook Pro (with fan) - 20 hour video playback battery life

Memory options 8 GB and 16 GB. No 32 GB option (unless you go Intel).

It should be noted that the M1 chip in these three Macs is the same (aside from GPU core number). Basically, Apple is taking the same approach which these chips as they do the iPhones and iPads. Just one SKU (excluding the X variants), which is the same across all iDevices (aside from maybe slight clock speed differences occasionally).

EDIT:



M1 Pro 8-core CPU (6+2), 14-core GPU
M1 Pro 10-core CPU (8+2), 14-core GPU
M1 Pro 10-core CPU (8+2), 16-core GPU
M1 Max 10-core CPU (8+2), 24-core GPU
M1 Max 10-core CPU (8+2), 32-core GPU

M1 Pro and M1 Max discussion here:

Page 78 - Discussion - Apple Silicon SoC thread

Page 78 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

forums.anandtech.com

M1 Ultra discussion here:

Page 109 - Discussion - Apple Silicon SoC thread

Page 109 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

forums.anandtech.com

M2 discussion here:

Page 127 - Discussion - Apple Silicon SoC thread

Page 127 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

forums.anandtech.com

Second Generation 5 nm
Unified memory architecture - LPDDR5, up to 24 GB and 100 GB/s
20 billion transistors

8-core CPU

4 high-performance cores
192 KB instruction cache
128 KB data cache
Shared 16 MB L2 cache

4 high-efficiency cores
128 KB instruction cache
64 KB data cache
Shared 4 MB L2 cache

10-core iGPU (but there is an 8-core variant)
3.6 Teraflops

16-core neural engine
Secure Enclave
USB 4

Hardware acceleration for 8K h.264, h.264, ProRes

M3 Family discussion here:

Page 215 - Discussion - Apple Silicon SoC thread

Page 215 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

forums.anandtech.com

 

[FlameTail]

It has begun.

Apple Reportedly Developing Its Own Custom Silicon for AI Servers

Apple is said to be developing its own AI server processor using TSMC's 3nm process, targeting mass production by the second half of 2025. ...

www.macrumors.com

Apple is coming for AMD and Nvidia.

 

[poke01]

It has begun.

Apple Reportedly Developing Its Own Custom Silicon for AI Servers

Apple is said to be developing its own AI server processor using TSMC's 3nm process, targeting mass production by the second half of 2025. ...

www.macrumors.com

Apple is coming for AMD and Nvidia.

I am sure this are only for Apple servers. They probably don’t want to depend on Nvidia.

 

[ashFTW]

I am sure this are only for Apple servers. They probably don’t want to depend on Nvidia.

The AI custom silicon perhaps could also be used on the studio/pro in a multi-chiplet configuration. Depends if there is a unifying architecture behind this effort across the product stack.

 

[Saylick]

It has begun.

Apple Reportedly Developing Its Own Custom Silicon for AI Servers

Apple is said to be developing its own AI server processor using TSMC's 3nm process, targeting mass production by the second half of 2025. ...

www.macrumors.com

Apple is coming for AMD and Nvidia.

I'm sure it will be based on an upscaled version of their own iPhone NPU, right? Or rather, the NPU in the iPhone will be a scaled down version of the server chip.

 

[ashFTW]

I'm sure it will be based on an upscaled version of their own iPhone NPU, right? Or rather, the NPU in the iPhone will be a scaled down version of the server chip.

Yes, but I assume it won’t purely be a tensor processor. The NPU on the current A&M chips exist along with CPU and GPU. Some of that type of processing will be required as well. And I/O.

 

[poke01]

The AI custom silicon perhaps could also be used on the studio/pro in a multi-chiplet configuration. Depends if there is a unifying architecture behind this effort across the product stack.

This is likely. Apple never designs for one config only but for it to scalable as possible.

 

[Doug S]

I am sure this are only for Apple servers. They probably don’t want to depend on Nvidia.

I'll believe it when I see it. There are always rumors about Apple doing servers, it never happens.

What does Apple need with a huge AI cloud when their whole thing is on device AI? They certainly aren't going to be competing with Nvidia selling stuff into the open market.

This is just some random Weibo user who has one accurate call in his past (I don't count "iPhone 7 will be waterproof" everyone was expecting that, he might as well count predicting Apple adopting 5G to juice his total)

 

[SteinFG]

What does Apple need with a huge AI cloud when their whole thing is on device AI? They certainly aren't going to be competing with Nvidia selling stuff into the open market.

For training models, I guess?

 

[Nothingness]

For training models, I guess?

I'm not sure it would be worth paying for the development and deployment when you can rent hyperscalers machines.

 

[dacostafilipe]

Could be nice as an inference server.

Testing / playing with models is really easy on apple silicon, but performance could be better.

 

[Eug]

Servers? What are you guys smoking?

 

[FlameTail]

Servers? What are you guys smoking?

Hopium