mykem

The T2 chip is more than just a security chip. It incorporates everything from the System Management Controller (SMC), SSD Controller/Hardware Encryption/Secure Boot  for system storage, ISP (image signal processor), audio controller and Security Enclave. 

Anything can be faster if it gobbles up inordinate amount of resources. Safari on the other fast yet still efficient in its use of resources. 

That’s quite slow considering the price. A lot of external SSD based on USB-C now uses USB 3.2 interface with bandwidth of 10 Gbps. I have an OWC Envoy Pro Ex ($270- 1TB) but it’s pretty much the same with any equivalent SSD from Samsung (T7) or WD or Sandisk where the sequential R/W is just around 1000 MB/s. Or you can buy an USB-C (10-20 Gbps) or Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps) NVMe enclosure install in it a Samsung 980 or WD SSD (1TB) module for a total of less than $200. 

The single core alone is almost twice that of the Snapdragon 865 (1,583 vs 870).

The multi-core is a lot closer although you have to consider that the SD865 runs on 8 cores vs 6 on the Apple A14 (Apple has been using 6 cores on the regular A series chip since the A10- the “X” version for the iPad Pro uses 8 cores). For the multi-core the SD865’s GB5 score is around 3,280 vs 4,198 for the A12.

I’m surprised the article fails to mention that the Force Touch trackpad itself uses haptic feedback for the click mechanism. Underneath the trackpad is the biggest Taptic Engine- bigger than the ones in iPhone.