With an 18% faster CPU, a 35% more potent GPU, and a 40% faster Neural Engine, the Apple M2 chip improves on the industry-leading performance per watt of the M1 chip, by employing second-generation 5-nanometer technology. It also offers up to 24GB of quick unified memory and 50% greater memory bandwidth than the M1 chip. The revamped MacBook Air and upgraded 13-inch MacBook Pro are also equipped with the M2 chip, which also adds new unique technologies and improved efficiency.
Twenty billion transistors, or 25% more than the M1 chip, make up the system-on-a-chip (SoC) design of the M2 chip. This is because the M2 is created utilizing improved, second-generation 5-nanometer technology. The additional transistors enhance features on the entire device that hosts the M2 chip, including the memory controller; which provides 100GB/s of combined memory bandwidth, which is 50% greater than M1. Additionally, M2 can manage even bigger and more complicated workloads thanks to its rapid unified memory, which can reach 24GB in size.
The new CPU has more efficient cores that have been greatly improved for even better performance benefits, along with faster performance cores and a bigger cache. Together, they provide 18% more multithreaded performance than M1, allowing M2 to handle CPU-intensive operations like layering effects into music or applying intricate filters to photographs quickly and efficiently.
The CPU in the M2 chip offers roughly twice the performance at the same power level as the newest 10-core PC laptop chip. Additionally, M2 uses only a fraction of the power while providing the PC chip’s maximum performance.
Everything sounds great but what about gaming?
The M2 chip provides higher performance, more battery life, and improved graphics, as already highlighted earlier in this article. But what gaming features do the M2 chip offer and how good is it for gaming?
When looking at gaming, a variety of games can be played without issues, due to the numerous efficient features of the M2 chip. Action games, arcade games, and even casino games are all types of games you can play on devices that use the M2 chip. These types of games have continued to grow in popularity with players all over the world, including iGaming titles such as online roulette or blackjack game which have started to become even more accessible to players around the world due to the increased technologies such as advanced CPU chips that are now being used, therefore signifying the importance of why many are pondering whether they can be used for casual gaming.
This is because Apple computers have typically received minimal attention from gamers or game creators, and Windows PCs have long dominated the gaming industry. Apple now seems to be prepared for gaming, as made possible by the M2 chip.
Are there types of games that operate better than others on the M2 chip?
On the M2 MacBook Air, some problems could arise when playing the released Triple A (AAA) games. Overheating may be one of the main problems. Fans for cooling are absent from the MacBook Air. The M2 chip could therefore become too hot under pressure from demanding tasks, despite its strength.
On devices that house the M2 chip, you can play arcade games. If you want to play games like these, the M2 chip is perfect for you. This is so because the majority of the games that are included were first built for devices with less processing power. They, therefore, do not need a lot of resources to function. The M2 is also a good choice if you intend to download mobile games from the App Store. The same also applies to web apps that let you play online games through your browser.
Verdict
The M2 chip is a reliable processor for the job if you intend to play games via cloud services like Google Stadia, Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce Now, or other comparable platforms. This is because it will only be processing your inputs as the games are being streamed live from the cloud. Therefore, the M2 chip will not be doing much work. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that you will need to purchase a different adaptor to use an Ethernet cable with it.
The M2 chip-equipped devices were not originally designed to be laptops for playing video games. While you may be able to play cloud games or less demanding games on them without any issues, relying on them for intensive and high-demanding games can harm your device. The M2 chip has been created with some features that can handle different types of games but have limiting devices. Therefore, the M2 chip is good for casual gaming, but might not perform properly beyond that.
Eyal Ephrat serves as the co-founder and CEO of medCPU.com, where technology is making significant strides in the field of medicine. Through his experience in purchasing PC and laptop equipment and various other tech products, Eyal Ephrat contributes valuable insights to medCPU’s mission.
