Intel is at it again, this time attacking its own processors within Macs

By Sean Endicott
published

Intel attacked Apple in a recent call by comparing Intel chips against ... other Intel chips.

Intel Evo Logo 3
Intel Evo Logo 3 (Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Intel attempted to illustrate why gaming is better on Intel-powered devices than Apple's offering in a recent call.
  • The call highlighted the lack of popular games that are available on macOS.
  • A slide within the call compares an Intel-powered PC to an Intel-powered MacBook.

Intel continues on its crusade against Apple. The company already has several ad campaigns attacking Apple, and now it's focusing on the gaming side of computing. In a recent call with PC Gamer, Intel's Ryan Shrout talked about the performance of Intel's 11th Gen H-series laptop processors. During the call, Shrout also specifically discussed Apple hardware (via iMore).

One of Intel's main points is a frequent, and accurate, argument against gaming on Macs, the fact that many of the best PC games aren't available on macOS. Intel shared a slide stating that "over half of today's most popular games aren't supported on macOS."

Source: Intel (Image credit: Source: Intel)

Intel also shared a slide comparing a 16-inch MacBook Pro with an Intel Core i9-9980HK with an AMD Radeon Pro 5600 and a PC with an Intel Core i5-11400H with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060.

There are a couple of strange things about this comparison. First, Intel is comparing itself against itself. Even though Apple is moving away from Intel chips, the chart doesn't compare an Intel-powered device with one running Apple's M1 chips. Second, the chart compares an older Intel Core i9 with a new Intel Core i5. Those aren't exactly comparable processors. A comparison between Apple's most recent MacBook and a recent Intel-powered PC would probably be better.

Source: Intel (Image credit: Source: Intel)

Shrout also highlighted that many people who purchase a computer for work also game and vice versa.

Regardless of your stance on Apple vs. PC or Apple vs. Intel, it's unlikely that this is the last shot we'll see in the battle of big computing brands.

Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com (opens in new tab).

9 Comments
  • My best buddy has and uses everything Apple. But when we game together it's either console or his new Asus ROG laptop that he has decked out. It's just the nature of the beast.
  • I am not sure why Intel even cares. Apple doesn't have enough market share to make a huge impact on Intel with them moving over to their new "admittingly awesome" M1 chip. Also, most Apple folks dont go with Apple with gaming anywhere near their top priorities. Intel should be more worried about AMD at this point.
  • Even though you are right, Intel is forced to care because of the perception issue. The last thing any tech company wants is to be branded as not innovative. Just about everyone have done it in the last 10years by screaming look at all the cool stuff we are working on in our labs even though deep down they know those things doesn't have a prayer at shipping anytime soon, they do it anyway. They do it as a way to keep their stock prices up. Google has turned it into an art form the last eight years. Since Apple is a product company they don't get the opportunity to do so as much, but just about all of them do it. That's essentially what Intel is doing those things for, they don't want people and the market to start down that path, it won't be good for their recruitment efforts and the stock.
  • When you spend this much time bashing your competition - in your own ads - you are officially in Panic Mode. If my main product was tied to Microsoft Windows, I would also be in Panic Mode.
  • You just had to circle it back to Windows didn't you? If you dislike Windows so much. One has to wonder why do you frequent windows central that much?...
  • Good lord, why? Windows isn't going anywhere, any time soon. Except maybe to AMD or ARM (LOL). That's not really even a MS or Windows choice, but a PC OEM choice.
  • In the not-too-distant future it's pretty obvious that Apple will only be selling their own chips. I think it's smart for Intel to start pushing PCs and to rail against the entire Apple-sphere, even if their own chips are still under the same umbrella. The next time an Intel Mac owner goes to buy an Intel Mac, there probably won't be one.
  • Apple won't sell their own chips, you do realise that insane amount of cost and logistics involved in opening a fab? Not to mention by selling their own chips, the competition can run further diagnostics and tests for comparisons on the actual silicon itself. Apple is all about having a advantage over their competition. Even if it means poaching, stealing designs, copying designs, ideas and putting their own spin on it.
  • I think he just phrased that poorly. Apple will only be selling devices with their own chips. I'd venture to guess most buying MACs are not buying them for the Intel Inside sticker. They are buying them for MacOS and MacOS. Not all of course, but most.