Google earlier this week released a version of Chrome designed specifically for Apple’s M1 Macs. If you have a new M1 MacBook Air, M1 MacBook Pro, or M1 Mac mini, you’ll want to download the M1-specific version of Chrome as it runs much faster than the x86 version working through Rosetta 2.
With the introduction of Rosetta 2, M1 and macOS Big Sur seamlessly run apps that haven’t yet transitioned to Universal versions. So without updating, you can keep working on Fusion360 projects or reach the next level in your favorite game. And thanks to Metal and M1, some of the most graphically demanding apps perform better under Rosetta 2 than they did running natively on previous Mac systems with integrated graphics.
Following the release of the M1 version of Chrome, Ars Technica did a series of benchmarks using Speedometer 2.0, JetStream2, and Motion Mark 1.1, and in all cases, the M1 Chrome was much faster than the x86 version.
Across all tests, the native M1 version of Chrome performed between 66 and 81 percent better than the version of Chrome running through Rosetta 2. Safari was the fastest browser of all, of course, having been designed by Apple, and it came out on top across all of the tests.
The M1 version of Chrome can be downloaded on M1 Macs on the Chrome website [here].
MacDailyNews Take: Run Safari if you can. It’s better and faster than Chrome.