ednl

My heart stopped (well, not really) when the list went from iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) to iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation) .......... No update for my 12.9" 2nd gen?! But then it and even the 1st gen appeared later in the list. Phew.

So what I mean is, perhaps sorting the list a bit better would help readers more easily identify their model.

You said you tested both the seven- and eight-core gpu models, but there is just one M1 score here and it is unclear to me to which model it refers:

"Looking at graphics, using the Compute benchmark running Metal, the M1 scored a 20284, which is about 350 percent improved over the 2019 model's 5853 score. That 2019 model relied on Intel Iris Plus graphics versus the eight-core M1 GPU. The eight-core GPU on the next-up model is even more capable than the entry seven-core GPU, but both still blow away the old scores."

Ok, the teardowns have been done! And, apparently, the Thunderbolt controller *is* part of the SoC, so my suspicion was wrong. Sorry. The part they found on the motherboard is an "Intel JHL8040R Thunderbolt 4 Retimer". That is a dumb extender, not a controller. Intel calls it Thunderbolt 4 but the part was already available in Q3'19 at which point Thunderbolt 4 hadn't even been mentioned. TB3/4 are simply compatible enough electrically for the extender to be the same.

Why Apple hasn't integrated a TB4 controller, or why they can't call it that, is probably because of the development time of the new chip. Full TB4 specs weren't available until the summer.

1. USB4 does not "add 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3". It adds the 40 Gbps speed but it's a different protocol. Also, 40 Gbps is not mandatory for USB4.
2. How do you know that Apple "is now implementing its own controllers"? I see no evidence for that.
3. I also do not see anywhere that the TB3 controller is integrated on the SoC.

Like you say, I don't know if this makes any difference in practice because there are no USB4 peripherals yet and you do get 40 Gbps on TB3. But I think there are a few assumptions here that are not yet confirmed. Or denied.

This article is another disaster. USB 4 does not necessarily mean 40 Gbps. That is the max speed but it does not have to be supported for devices to be compliant. This also means that the new name does NOTHING to take away confusion.

It says so right there on the spec sheets: "USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb/s)" on all three of https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/specs/ and https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/specs/ and https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro-13/specs/