I have previously written that Apple usually keeps to its on stage performance promises, even if the M1 MacBook’s are not without their teething problems. We have also covered the potential for Windows 10 to one day run on the M1, even if Microsoft suggests not. Microsoft suggested Windows 10 won’t run on the M1 laptops on the basis Apple would need access to Windows 10 on ARM: “Microsoft only licenses Windows 10 on ARM to OEMs. We have nothing further to share at this time.” Fair enough, but I am willing to bet Windows 10 will come to the M1 officially at some point. In the meantime, someone has done the job for us and the results are amazing. It seems an Apple device backed by the M1 can run Windows 10 better than a Windows laptop can. YouTuber Martin Nobel got Windows 10 running on a new M1 Mac Mini and run it through Geekbench in comparison with a Windows 10 laptop. It turns out the Mac Mini was two times faster in single core testing against a similarly spec’d Windows machine.
In fact, the Mac Mini with Windows 10 on ARM scored 5,000 points while a Surface Pro X managed 3,113 points. So, Apple’s performance promises are not only true for macOS but also for Windows 10. To avoid this being an M1 love fest, I want to remind that the new silicon does have some early problems. Specifically, some apps are not running properly on the new hardware. Support will come eventually, but Apple’s promise of running any app on new MacBook’s seems premature.
