The Benefits of Buying a Discounted M1 Mac or MacBook in 2023

With the M3 processor planned for release in late 2023, and M2 already available for some time now, many of you are probably noticing heavily discounted brand new M1 devices selling at a significantly reduced rate. The reason for this discount is, however, purely based on the M3 release and not a lack of capability in the M1 chip itself.

The only significant difference between the M1 chip and the M2 chip is in the video processing methods. The M2 chip can easily handle 8k video editing, whereas the M1 chip is best suited to 4k video processing. If this doesn’t mean much to you, then it’s likely that having the M1 instead of the M2 won’t affect you.

But what about the previous second-hand models that ran Intel chips and are now selling for next to nothing? I will explain below why a new and discounted M1 device is superior to these.

When Apple announced in 2020 that they were transitioning their Mac computers away from Intel processors and towards their ARM-based chips, many were skeptical. After all, Intel had been the go-to processor provider for Macs for over a decade, and many users had grown accustomed to the performance and compatibility that came with Intel-based Macs. However, with the release of the M1 chip, it quickly became clear that Apple’s decision to switch to their processors was the right one.

The M1 chip, which powers many of Apple’s current devices including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini, was a significant improvement over the previous Intel-based Macs. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Improved performance and efficiency: The M1 chip is based on ARM architecture, which allows for better power efficiency and more efficient processing compared to Intel-based chips. This translates to faster performance, longer battery life, and cooler operation. In benchmark tests, the M1 chip outperformed even some of the highest-end Intel-based Macs.
2. Unified architecture: The M1 chip is designed to work seamlessly across all of Apple’s devices, from the iPhone to the iPad to the Mac. This means that apps that are designed for one device can easily be adapted to run on another, and that developers can create apps that work seamlessly across all of Apple’s platforms.
3. Improved security: The M1 chip includes a number of security features that make it more difficult for hackers to access your data. For example, it includes a Secure Enclave that stores sensitive information like passwords and encryption keys in a secure, isolated environment.
4. Compatibility with existing apps: While the M1 chip is based on a different architecture than the previous Intel-based Macs, Apple has made it easy for developers to adapt their apps to run on the new chip. Many popular apps have already been updated to work with the M1 chip, and even those that haven’t can still run on the chip using Apple’s Rosetta 2 translation software.

Even though the M2 chip is soon to become outdated as the M3 chip is coming in late 2023, the M1 chip is still a great buy. With its improved performance and efficiency, unified architecture, improved security, and compatibility with existing apps, the M1 chip is a significant improvement over the previous Intel-based Macs. Additionally, as Apple continues to transition towards their processors, it’s likely that more and more apps will be optimized for the M series chips over time, making it an even more attractive option for Mac users.

With the M1 chip now heavily discounted, there’s never been a better time to buy a Mac powered by this game-changing processor.