CPU Comparison
Apple M1 vs Intel Core i3-1110G4
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Apple M1 is an 8-core ARM-based system-on-a-chip (SoC) that marked Apple’s transition from Intel to its own Apple Silicon for the Mac, combining four high‑performance and four efficiency cores, an 8‑core integrated GPU, and a 16‑core Neural Engine on a 5 nm process.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Very responsive for everyday tasks, Xcode builds, and light creative work; benefits from fast single‑core and SSD, but heavy multi‑thread workloads are constrained by 8 threads.
Basic office tasks run fine, but having only two cores means heavy multitasking or complex spreadsheets will slow down.
Gaming
Competent for 1080p gaming in macOS and via Rosetta 2 for many titles, but the 8‑core GPU and 8–16 GB memory limit modern AAA performance and resolution scaling.
The Iris Xe GPU can handle very light older games at low resolutions, but it is not a gaming processor.
Virtualization
Capable for a couple of light VMs, but not ideal for large parallel VM farms due to core count and memory ceiling.
Two cores and four threads are insufficient for any serious virtual machine hosting.
Efficiency
Outstanding performance per watt; MacBook Air and 13‑inch MacBook Pro with M1 delivered dramatically better battery life and lower heat than comparable Intel Macs.
Excellent power efficiency characteristic of the 10nm Tiger Lake mobile design.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- 16‑core Neural Engine accelerates Core ML models
- CPU and GPU also provide ML accelerators for framework‑level ops
- Not designed for large‑scale training or server‑side inference
- No dedicated AI hardware
- AVX-512 provides some vector compute capability but is impractical for modern AI workloads
Content Creation
Gaming
- 8‑core GPU comparable to low‑end discrete GPUs of its era in some Metal titles
- Rosetta 2 adds overhead for x86 games; some titles have compatibility or performance quirks
- 16 GB memory limit and 8 GPU cores cap texture resolutions and frame rates in modern AAA games
- Iris Xe graphics are a big improvement over UHD but still inadequate for modern AAA gaming
- Can manage simple 2D indie games or very old titles
- CPU will bottleneck even light games that rely on more than two threads
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Excellent single‑thread performance and responsiveness
- Outstanding performance per watt and battery life
- Integrated GPU much faster than old Intel UHD/Iris in Macs
- Unified memory simplifies development and improves efficiency
- Silent, fanless operation in MacBook Air and Mac mini under light loads
- Strong on‑device ML inference via Neural Engine
Cons
- Only 8 CPU threads; heavy multi‑thread workloads can hit a ceiling
- Max 16 GB unified memory; not user‑upgradeable
- No eGPU support and limited PCIe expansion
- Rosetta 2 translation layer for some x86 apps; not all software is native
- Newer M2/M3 chips and modern x86 CPUs offer more cores, higher clocks, and better GPU performance
Pros
- Modern 10nm manufacturing process
- Iris Xe graphics offer capable media acceleration
- Low 15 W power draw enables thin chassis designs
- PCIe 4.0 support for fast storage
- AVX-512 instruction support
Cons
- Only 2 physical cores severely limit multitasking
- Hyper-Threading cannot compensate for missing physical cores
- L3 cache is limited to 6 MB
- Only supports DDR4, missing out on LPDDR4X power benefits
- End of useful life for modern computing workloads
Competitors & Alternatives
Apple M1
- Intel Core i7-1165G7Rival
Thin‑and‑Light Laptop
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800URival
Thin‑and‑Light Laptop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-1135G7Rival
Thin‑and‑Light Laptop
- AMD Ryzen 5 4600HRival
Performance Laptop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i7-11800HRival
High‑Performance Laptop
- Alt
Same platform with ~18% faster CPU, 35% faster GPU, and support for up to 24 GB unified memory.
Compare head-to-head - Alt
More CPU/GPU cores and higher memory bandwidth for heavier creative workloads.
Compare head-to-head - AMD Ryzen 7 6800UAlt
Modern x86 laptop CPU with higher multi‑thread performance and DDR5 memory.
Higher core count and better sustained multi‑thread performance in thin laptops.
Compare head-to-head- Alt
Newer architecture with better GPU and CPU performance per watt and improved media engines.
Compare head-to-head
Intel Core i3-1110G4
- AMD Ryzen 3 3250URival
Budget Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 3 5300URival
Mainstream Mobile
- Intel Pentium Gold 7505Rival
Entry Mobile
- MediaTek Kompanio 500Rival
ARM Laptop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i3-1125G4Rival
Upper Entry Mobile
A significant step up in both CPU cores and iGPU power for more demanding users.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5500UAlt
Six cores and eight threads for a much more future-proof laptop experience.
- Alt
If available in the budget range, it vastly outperforms this Intel chip in both efficiency and multi-core speed.
Compare head-to-head
Our Verdict on Each
A landmark chip that delivered class‑leading efficiency and single‑thread speed for thin laptops, still very capable for most users but increasingly outdated compared to M2/M3 and modern x86 rivals in multi‑thread and GPU workloads.
Best for: Used or refurbished M1 MacBook Air / Mac mini for general use, study, or light creative work at a low price
Read the full reviewThe i3-1110G4 brings modern Iris Xe graphics and a 10nm process to budget laptops, but its 2-core configuration severely limits multitasking and longevity compared to 4-core alternatives.
Best for: The i3-1110G4 should only be purchased if you are buying a highly discounted, entry-level laptop strictly for basic web browsing, document editing, and media consumption. Its Iris Xe graphics make it marginally better than older 2-core chips for media tasks. However, modern operating systems and web browsers are increasingly demanding, and a 2-core processor will struggle to maintain smooth performance over the laptop's lifespan. You should avoid it if you plan to keep the laptop for more than a couple of years or need to run multiple applications simultaneously.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Apple M1 or Intel Core i3-1110G4?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Apple M1 comes out ahead with a score of 8.8/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Apple M1 or Intel Core i3-1110G4?
For gaming, the Apple M1 leads with a gaming performance score of 72/100 among Apple M1 and Intel Core i3-1110G4.
Which uses less power?
The Intel Core i3-1110G4 has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core i3-1110G4 (15 W).
Do Apple M1 and Intel Core i3-1110G4 use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Apple M1: On-package (BGA-style, not user-replaceable), Intel Core i3-1110G4: BGA 1598), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which has more cores?
The Apple M1 has the most cores. Core counts: Apple M1 (8 cores), Intel Core i3-1110G4 (2 cores).
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Apple M1 posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Apple M1 (7,404), Intel Core i3-1110G4 (4,500). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.