What you need to know
- A series of ads from Intel attacks Apple's Mac devices.
- The ad campaign highlights Intel Evo laptops.
- Several Mac devices still have Intel chips inside.
- The ads link to a video comparing Intel and Mac devices from Jon Rettinger.
A series of ads from Intel takes a swipe at Apple's Mac lineup. The ads highlight Intel Evo and several things that you can do on Intel-based machines, like using a touch screen and playing games (via iMore).
It's a bit odd to see a campaign of ads from Intel that directly puts down Mac devices. There are still plenty of Mac devices with Intel chips inside. While Apple has its own silicon in the M1 chips, it's not like there aren't Intel-based Macs around. In a way, Intel is attacking itself by pointing out the flaws in Mac devices that use Intel's chips.
Apple is moving over to its own silicon in a transition that should be complete by 2022, but that leaves a year or more in which Intel chips will be inside Apple devices.
An ad from February 2 highlights that Macs don't have a touch screen. That's true, of course, but Intel doesn't mention that Apple makes iPads that run on Apple's own chips.
Only a PC offers tablet mode, touch screen and stylus capabilities in a single device. #GoPCOnly a PC offers tablet mode, touch screen and stylus capabilities in a single device. #GoPC— Intel (@intel) February 2, 2021February 2, 2021
A more recent ad from February 10 highlights that Windows devices with Intel chips can run rocket launches and launch the game Rocket League, and that Macs can't. I don't work for any rocket companies, so I can't testify that Macs can't be used to launch rockets. It is true that Rocket League is no longer supported on macOS.
Only a PC can power scientists and gamers alike. #GoPCOnly a PC can power scientists and gamers alike. #GoPC— Intel (@intel) February 10, 2021February 10, 2021
Both of the Twitter ads link to a sponsored video from Jon Rettinger. The video highlights that "with the Evo platform, you're getting just a ton of stuff that you just can't get from the Mac." Rettinger runs through a few Intel-based laptops and highlights eGPU support and other benefits of Intel devices.
The battle between Windows and macOS isn't going anywhere. Similarly, the battle between chip manufacturers is here to stay. With Apple moving away from Intel chips, this likely isn't the last we hear from Intel on the topic.
