Intel's CFO says Macs would 'take a big step off performance' if they used another chip

February 9, 2015

Still coping with persistent rumors about Apple prototyping ARM-based Mac, Intel's chief financial officer, Stacy Smith reaffirmed the company's position that Apple would take a big performance hit if they moved away from Intel's chips. According to Business Insider:

"Our leadership over the rest of the industry is extending," Smith said. "We're not delayed relative to the industry. We're actually ahead of the industry."

"For a customer like Apple you'd have to take a big step off performance to step off our architecture," Smith said. "That is what in essence enables us to win across different customers."

Apple prototypes everything that's sensible for a company like Apple to prototype. Going into production with alternate chipsets, however, would be something else entirely. Broadwell delays notwithstanding, there would have to be significant gain or opportunity for Apple to move any part of the Mac lineup to ARM.

If nothing else, however, the rumors no doubt help encourage Intel to keep moving in a direction that fits with Apple's needs.