Evidence shows that the M4 MacBook Air behaves differently than the M3 model by utilizing only the efficiency cores
Evidence shows that the M4 MacBook Air behaves differently than the M3 model by utilizing only the efficiency cores Read More Technology
Apple has officially released the 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air models in the U.S. and other major markets, so it was a sure bet that those who got hold of these portable Macs would be tinkering to see what changes the company made. On paper, the only noteworthy specification difference is the switch from M3 to M4, but according to one YouTuber, Apple has completely altered the way these MacBook Air models behave when running taxing workloads. In one test, the machine utilizes the efficiency cores instead of the performance ones, resulting in multiple benefits.
This behavior will also lead to cooler temperatures on the M4 MacBook Air and potentially less throttling
When running Lightroom Classic to edit images, YouTuber Vadim Yuryev, who runs the channel Max Tech, found out that the M4 MacBook Air takes advantage of only the six efficiency cores while the performance cores were barely being touched. Keep in mind that Adobe’s image editing software is extremely CPU-intensive, which makes this behavior all the more surprising because it was always assumed that the performance cores would be responsible for tackling these sorts of tasks.
Related Story Apple Expects High Demand For Its Newly Announced Hardware, With Retail Sources Claiming That The Sky Blue Version Of The M4 MacBook Air Estimated To Be Extremely Popular
While no explanation is provided as to why just the efficiency cores are being used, the M4 MacBook Air’s behavior is incredibly different compared to the M3 MacBook Air, where only the latter’s performance cores were being utilized when running Lightroom Classic. Perhaps Apple had intentionally forced the M4’s Neural Engine to recognize which applications can be handled by the efficiency cores without hampering the program’s performance or user experience.
Since Vadim has only shared two images showing the two chipset’s behaviors when under load, it is difficult to ascertain how well Lightroom Classic runs when only the efficiency cores are leveraged. However, assuming the application runs well, this approach is highly beneficial because it will lead to not just better battery life but also better temperatures, minimizing the chances of thermal throttling.
Since the M4 MacBook Air does not feature an active cooling solution and only relies on one large heatsink to dissipate hot air, transferring the processing load to the six efficiency cores might have been deliberate. We will continue to investigate if the same behavior is exhibited when running other intensive applications, and we will be back with more findings. For now, if you wish to experience this level of performance yourself, Amazon is running an attractive deal where buyers get a $50 discount coupon on various 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air models, so do not miss out on this offer.
News Source: Vadim Yuryev
