Apple removes final Intel part from Macs
Apple has dropped the last component it sourced from Intel with the introduction of the M2-powered MacBook Air.
This was revealed in iFixit’s recent teardown of the new laptop on YouTube, which showed Apple had replaced the USB and Thunderbolt port controllers typically made by Intel with custom-made units.
The parts are used to help power the ports, and Intel’s is still employed on Apple’s current M1 Macs.
Twitter user SkyJuice posted a close-up picture of the new components on Tuesday morning.
“Gone are Intel’s JHL8040R USB4 retimers, replaced by a pair of custom U09PY3 retimers,” they stated.
It was not clear whether the new components on the M2 MacBook Air were made by Apple or sourced from another third-party supplier.
The image below shows the new controllers.
Apple switched from Intel to using its own chips with the launch of the M1 13-inch MacBook Pro in November 2020.
While it has used its own chips for iPhones and iPads from the beginning, Apple’s Mac line-up relied on Intel processors for 15 years.
However, reports in recent years speculated that Apple grew frustrated with Intel’s chips limiting the new features, performance improvements, and design overhauls it could offer on newer devices.
At WWDC 2020, Apple announced it would start using its own silicon and move away from Intel and, in November 2020, launched the M1 chip on that year’s 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac Mini.
The M1 and its Pro, Max, and Ultra derivatives have been a massive success, posting incredible performance and efficiency gains over their Intel-powered predecessors.
Their improved heat management has also allowed Apple to remove the fan in some of its more recent Macs, making for more compact designs.
The switch to its in-house chip designs also enables Apple to better coordinate its hardware and software teams and hash out features without relying on external parties.
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