Apple unveils M6 chip with three-tier CPU core architecture in new Mac mini
Apple's M6 processor, debuting in the latest Mac mini, introduces a three-tier core design that includes super, performance, and efficiency cores, a feature previously limited to higher-end models.
Apple has introduced its next-generation M6 silicon, first appearing in the updated Mac mini. The chip marks a shift in the company's base-level offerings by incorporating three distinct types of CPU cores: two super cores, four performance cores and six efficiency cores, for a total of 12 cores.
The super cores, previously known as performance cores, were renamed when Apple added a new middle-tier performance core with the M5 Pro and M5 Max earlier this year. Those higher-end chips were the only models to combine super and performance cores until now. With the M6, Apple extends that capability to its entry-level lineup, while the M5 Ultra also adopts the same core mix.
Apple describes the super cores as its most powerful units, with the newly introduced performance cores offering a balance of power efficiency and multithreaded capability, and the efficiency cores handling lower-power tasks. The M6 is also built on a 2-nanometer process, making it the company's first chip at that node.
Analysts note that the addition of the three-tier architecture to a base chip represents a notable year-over-year performance improvement for users upgrading from earlier models.