In-core performance compared across P and E cores in M1, M3 and M4 chips shows substantial performance improvements, particularly in vector and matrix computation.
efficiency
Less glamorous than the P cores, E cores are used to run background threads. Details of their architecture, how threads are managed on them and their efficiency.
Running threads at different frequencies on the same core type can’t save energy and extend battery endurance. That’s where 2 core types come in handy.
How power efficiency is just as important to desktop Macs as it is to notebooks, and the story of the Mac mini in power from 2005-2023.
A gentle introduction to the new architecture, from how macOS allocates threads to core types, overflow, variable frequency, ending in huge differences in power.
M3 chips widen the gap between Pro and Max variants. They also change relative performance between P and E cores to make M3 CPUs more versatile.
The M1 cycle took 16 months from basic to Ultra; that shortened to 12 months for the M2. As the first Studio M2 Ultras were being prepared for shipping, the M3 cycle started.
There’s more to getting best performance and energy efficiency on Apple silicon. These vary greatly depending on how apps are coded, as shown here.
Differences in vector processing performance between the M1 Max and M3 Pro, and in their use of power. Their frequency control is more complex.
Examines two special core allocation modes: for the virtual cores in a macOS VM, and in Sonoma’s new Game Mode.
The Eclectic Light Company 