SPECIAL MENTION: Apple’s 2020 announcement that it was transitioning away from Intel processors for its Mac desktops and laptops in favor of self-designed ARM chips similar to those used in smartphones and tablets sent shockwaves through the tech industry. A year and a half later, it’s abundantly clear that Apple made the right move. Apple’s new processor, the M1—which was first available in devices released late last year—ushered in a quantum leap in performance for the iMac, MacBook, and other products, in part by making it possible to marry hardware and software to a previously impossible degree. The company’s new M1 Pro and M1 Max, both aimed at professional users, stand to push the envelope even further. —Alex Fitzpatrick
More Must-Read Stories From TIME
- 2022 Time100 NEXT: TIME’s List Of Emerging Leaders Who Are Shaping the Future
- Industrial Farming Causes Climate Change. The ‘Slow Food’ Movement Wants to Stop It
- What Reading 220 History Textbooks Taught One Scholar About Racism in America
- Artist Oliver Jeffers Wants to Paint the World Out of a Corner
- A Vibrant North Korean Community in London Finds Its Days Are Numbered
- COVID-19 Vaccines Can Make Periods Longer, Study Says
- Column: What Happened When My Entire Family Came Out
- How DeSantis Handles Hurricane Ian Will Shape His Political Future
- 6 Groups Making Mental Health Care More Accessible to People of Color
