Since each of them has the same capability in terms of GHz, the number of cores in your Mac is basically a multiplier for your processing power. For example, which do you think performs better: a 1.5 GHz dual-core Mac or 1.7 GHz single-core one? You’ll be wrong to go for the highest GHz number here - you also need to consider the number of cores.Ĭores are essentially independent processors within your CPU. Once you’ve understood the GHz meaning in CPUs, you might think of yourself as a master in processor speed comparison. video games, compositing, virtual reality) then you don’t get any substantial benefit from having them at all. Third, if you often don’t do tasks where billions of processes per second matter (e.g.
Second, putting the max GHz processor in your Mac would be more taxing on your battery and in some cases could even lead to overheating. So why not always get the highest number possible? Well, first, it’s the cost: in general, you pay more for a processor with more GHz. Naturally, the higher the number the more operations your Mac can complete. All the contemporary CPUs are so fast that they are measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billions of cycles per second. In general, hertz (Hz) is a measurement of frequency or, as often defined, cycles (of something) per second. It denotes your processor’s generation.Īfter you’ve finally found out the exact specs of your Mac’s CPU, let’s break it down into specific details to be able to conduct a proper processor speed comparison. Open Terminal from your Utilities folder in Applications.There’s a special trick you need to know to find it: You might also notice that the generation of your processor is not specified.
Now you can see that your MacBook could be running on a dual-core 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5, for example. Make sure to have the Hardware tab open.Click the Apple logo in the menu bar ➙ About This Mac.
Here’s how to find out your Mac’s processor specs: You might be even wondering, “What processor do I have?” Which processor is in your Mac right now?ĭepending on how old your Mac is, its processor could have a completely different performance compared to what’s available in the Apple Store today. Let’s dive in each of those aspects in more detail and see how they compare to your current MacBook setup.
To give you a real-life example, currently you can buy a 16-inch MacBook Pro with 2.4 GHz 8‑core 9th‑generation Intel Core i9 processor and Turbo Boost up to 5.0 GHz. Hyper-threading allows to handle more independent tasks for the cores you have available.CPU cache is essentially your processor’s memory.Turbo Boost gives occasional acceleration to the processing speed.Intel i5 vs i7 vs i3 vs i9 show the model of the processor itself.Cores denominate the amount of independent CPU units.GHz measure the raw processing speed of a single CPU unit.Here’s a brief overview of all the variable parts that comprise a processor: Moreover, with new technological breakthroughs happening every year, a MacBook Air processor from 2021 is a completely different beast to the one made in 2016.
Try free What Are The Different MacBook Pro Processors?Īs mentioned above, processors vary not only between Mac models but also within the same model too.