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How M1 Macs feel faster than Intel models: it’s about QoS

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Re: How M1 Macs feel faster than Intel models: it’s about QoS

#271

Post by LightG »

kortex wrote: post #270

Question for the peanut gallery: In a -nix OS system, let's say single-threaded process is running on core 0. It makes a syscall. Does core 0 have to context-switch in order to handle the syscall, or could the kernel code run on core 1? This would allow a process to run longer without context switching and cache dumping, which would improve performance (as well as potentially security). Corollary question: could one…

"A peanut gallery was, in the days of vaudeville, a nickname for the cheapest and ostensibly rowdiest seats in the theater, the occupants of which were often known to heckle the performers.[1] The least expensive snack served at the theatre would often be peanuts, which the patrons would sometimes throw at the performers on stage to convey their disapproval. Phrases such as "no comments from the peanut gallery" or "quiet in the peanut gallery" are extensions of the name.[1]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut_gallery

Re: How M1 Macs feel faster than Intel models: it’s about QoS

#273

Post by ArcMex »

josephg wrote: post #106
kryps wrote: post #75

It does not just feel faster, in many cases it is faster. E.g. compiling Rust code is so much faster that it is not even funny. cargo install -f ripgrep takes 22 seconds on a Mac Book Air with M1, same on a hexacore 2020 Dell XPS 17 with 64GB RAM takes 34 seconds.

I did a side-by-side comparing with my friends' M1 macbook and my (more expensive, nearly brand new) ryzen 5800x workstation compiling rust. The ryzen was faster - but it was really close. And the macbook beats my ryzen chip in single threaded performance. For reference, the ryzen compiles ripgrep in 19.7 seconds. The comparison is way too close given the ryzen workstation guzzles power, and the macbook is cheaper, p…

>For now it looks like its not a question of if I'll get one, but when.

My exact sentiments. I've been looking for a gateway into Apple and the M1 Air seems like it. It has now become a matter of time and not just a fleeting thought.

Re: How M1 Macs feel faster than Intel models: it’s about QoS

#274

Post by vetinari »

kryps wrote: post #75

It does not just feel faster, in many cases it is faster. E.g. compiling Rust code is so much faster that it is not even funny. cargo install -f ripgrep takes 22 seconds on a Mac Book Air with M1, same on a hexacore 2020 Dell XPS 17 with 64GB RAM takes 34 seconds.

For me, it takes 34 seconds on M1 (MBP13):

    Finished release [optimized + debuginfo] target(s) in 34.50s
    ...
    cargo install -f ripgrep  137,66s user 13,00s system 435% cpu 34,632 total
For comparison TR1900x (yeah, desktop, power-guzzler, but also several years old), Fedora 34:

    Finished release [optimized + debuginfo] target(s) in 25.15s
    ...
    real        0m25,271s
    user        4m41,553s
    sys         0m7,216s

Re: How M1 Macs feel faster than Intel models: it’s about QoS

#275

Post by toast0 »

theresAt wrote: post #42
varispeed wrote: post #37

People say that Ryzen is faster - but if it has a fan, then this is a deal breaker. I have become so annoyed by fans I often just stop work when they start whirling, go make a coffee etc. It seems like M1 is now the only laptop that can let you work in silence and be productive.

M1 will soon have a fan due to the overheating issue. Although I imagine given how slow the response was on the butterfly keyboard issue it might be a few years out.

When was the last time Apple made anything with good thermal design?

The M1 is designed for this. Wide cores that do a lot per clock, but can't be clocked high is perfect, because Apple would rather not clock high. Intel and AMD are still fighting the MHz wars, and can't release a core design that doesn't approach 5 GHz, even if the lower power chips won't.

Re: How M1 Macs feel faster than Intel models: it’s about QoS

#276

Post by mousepilot »

LightG wrote: post #271
kortex wrote: post #270

Question for the peanut gallery: In a -nix OS system, let's say single-threaded process is running on core 0. It makes a syscall. Does core 0 have to context-switch in order to handle the syscall, or could the kernel code run on core 1? This would allow a process to run longer without context switching and cache dumping, which would improve performance (as well as potentially security). Corollary question: could one…

"A peanut gallery was, in the days of vaudeville, a nickname for the cheapest and ostensibly rowdiest seats in the theater, the occupants of which were often known to heckle the performers.[1] The least expensive snack served at the theatre would often be peanuts, which the patrons would sometimes throw at the performers on stage to convey their disapproval. Phrases such as "no comments from the peanut gallery" or "q…

Posts like these are the gems that I come to HN for, as much as I've used the phrase, I never considered the source of it. I'd imagine I'd be in the cheap seats as well. Thanks!

Re: How M1 Macs feel faster than Intel models: it’s about QoS

#277

Post by mousepilot »

kryps wrote: post #75

It does not just feel faster, in many cases it is faster. E.g. compiling Rust code is so much faster that it is not even funny. cargo install -f ripgrep takes 22 seconds on a Mac Book Air with M1, same on a hexacore 2020 Dell XPS 17 with 64GB RAM takes 34 seconds.

I'd gladly spend 14 seconds if it helps me avoid Apple products!

Re: How M1 Macs feel faster than Intel models: it’s about QoS

#278

Post by toast0 »

jimueller wrote: post #22
whatever1 wrote: post #4

Launching apps takes ages on M1 mini. Reminded me of the good Windows Phone times.

Ah, Windows Phones were very responsive.

They were and they weren't. UI was pretty responsive, but starting programs was often slow. In 8.1 and above, starting the home screen was sometimes slow. So many dots crossing the screen.

Re: How M1 Macs feel faster than Intel models: it’s about QoS

#279

Post by jhickok »

anw wrote: post #269
josephg wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did a side-by-side comparing with my friends' M1 macbook and my (more expensive, nearly brand new) ryzen 5800x workstation compiling rust. The ryzen was faster - but it was really close. And the macbook beats my ryzen chip in single threaded performance. For reference, the ryzen compiles ripgrep in 19.7 seconds. The comparison is way too close given the ryzen workstation guzzles power, and the macbook is cheaper, p…

> macbook … and lasts 22 hours on a single charge I keep hearing this but have not experienced this in person. I usually get about 5 hours of life out of it. My usual open programs are CLion, WebStorm, Firefox (and Little Snitch running in the background). However, even with not having IDEs open all the time, and switching over from Firefox to Safari, I’m only seeing about 8 hours of battery life (which is still nice…

The Macbook Air does not get 22 hours but the Macbook Pro gets kinda close under the conditions specified in the test.

Re: How M1 Macs feel faster than Intel models: it’s about QoS

#280

Post by deergomoo »

nikanj wrote: post #74

My 16 inch pro Intel is plenty fast - for the first 45 seconds before thermal throttling kicks in. I have a feeling the M1 is faster because it can actually do work for more than just the briefest bursts

The heat and noise was what led me to sell my 16" MBP in favour of a 13" Air. I was working from home the whole time I owned it and my partner could often hear it from a different room.

No idea how anyone works in an office with one of those things without irritating the hell out of their coworkers.

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