It's always fascinating to see how Apple pushes the boundaries with its silicon. We've recently gotten a clearer picture of just how much of a jump the new M5 chip offers over its predecessor, the M4, thanks to some early benchmark results. Lance Ulanoff over at TechRadar shared some Geekbench 6 scores that really put things into perspective.
For those eyeing the new MacBook Air, the numbers are pretty compelling. When equipped with the 10-core CPU version of the M5, it clocked in at 17,073 in the multi-core CPU performance test. Compare that to the M4-equipped MacBook Air, which averaged around 14,731, and you're looking at a solid 15% speed increase. This aligns perfectly with what Apple announced when they unveiled the M5 chip back in October – it’s exactly what we expected, and that’s a good thing.
What's also interesting is how these newer chips stack up against older, more powerful models. According to the Geekbench database, this M5 MacBook Air actually edges out a MacBook Pro from a few years back that sported an M3 Pro chip, by about 16%. However, it's still not quite catching up to the M4 Pro and newer MacBook Pro models. It's a good reminder that Apple's chip hierarchy is quite layered, with Pro and Max variants always offering that extra bit of grunt for the most demanding tasks.
This performance leap isn't just about raw speed, though. It's also about the underlying technology. Take the A17 Pro chip, for instance, found in high-end mobile devices. It's a marvel of engineering, built on a 3nm process. This allows for a significant boost in both single-core and multi-core performance compared to older chips like the A12 Bionic from 2018. The A17 Pro isn't just faster; it's also more power-efficient, which is crucial for battery life in our always-on world.
When you look at the specs, the differences are stark. The A17 Pro boasts more L2 cache (20MB vs. 8MB) and a much higher memory bandwidth (51 GB/s vs. 34 GB/s) than the A12 Bionic. Its integrated graphics are also significantly more capable, even featuring raytracing support, which is a big deal for mobile gaming and demanding visual applications. The A12 Bionic, while perfectly capable for everyday tasks and less demanding apps, simply can't compete with the sheer power and advanced features of the A17 Pro.
It's this continuous innovation that makes Apple's silicon so compelling. Whether it's the latest M-series chip powering a MacBook Air or the A-series chip in an iPhone, the focus remains on delivering a seamless, powerful, and efficient user experience. The M5's 15% boost over the M4 is just the latest chapter in this ongoing story of performance enhancement.
