# Apple M1 laptop Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/apple-m1-chip/ 46 people recommended Apple M1 laptop in Hacker News comments, 9 had mixed feelings and 7 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 10 of 12 months, in 44 threads. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule. **Verdict:** Recommended for fast, cool, efficient performance that beats most x86 laptops and stays capable for years. Critics note weaker GPU results and gaps in software and Linux support. Summary written by Claude from 50 comments. It was written before the November 2026 recount, and 48 of those comments still count. ## Why people recommend it - Outperforms Intel and AMD laptops (5 comments in the sample): "After the M1, my casual home laptop started outperforming my top-spec work laptops." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46150326)) "even in compat mode the M1 ran faster than equivalent contemporary Intel chips" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45905624)) "the m1 did blow a normal windows laptop out of the water there" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45904044)) - Still fast enough years later (4 comments in the sample): "M1 redefined the low-end. It will remain a great choice in 5 years" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46003233)) "It has the same performance as the M1, which is still a beast." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47339259)) "I am still using it today and I prefer it over desktop PC." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47289341)) - Excellent performance per watt (3 comments in the sample): "Apple's M1 chip shows you don't need x86, which consumes more electricity and runs cooler for computing." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46389781)) "Performance per watt at least at that task has to be an ocean of a difference." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48116575)) "The M1 was (well, is) a marvel and absolutely smokes a 3090 in perf per watt." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47928398)) - Cool, quiet, long battery life (3 comments in the sample): "I work on compilers, often maxing out all the CPU cores, and have stopped carrying the power adapter altogether." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49469261)) "I've never had a machine feel so great for so long before!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47371093)) "fast, fanless, cool, and extremely long battery life" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47295749)) ## What people warn about - Weak software and Linux support (3 comments in the sample): "the software was not optimized and did not work correctly for the M1" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49633638)) "we have a very-nearly-right kernel for the M1" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47059955)) "the chip comes with zero documentation" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47545473)) - No clear edge over AMD Intel (2 comments in the sample): "has no appreciable hardware advantages compared to an AMD or Intel laptop" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46221530)) "AMD was actually more efficient under load" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46772873)) ## Other laptop processors people recommend - [Apple M5 Max](https://hackerapproved.com/p/apple-m5-max/): 38 recommend, 10 mixed, 16 criticize - [Intel Panther Lake](https://hackerapproved.com/p/intel-panther-lake/): 24 recommend, 7 mixed, 12 criticize - [Snapdragon X Elite](https://hackerapproved.com/p/snapdragon-x-elite/): 18 recommend, 14 mixed, 42 criticize - [Intel Lunar Lake](https://hackerapproved.com/p/intel-lunar-lake/): 12 recommend, 4 mixed, 6 criticize ## Where to get it - [Visit the official site](https://www.apple.com/mac/) ## The badge A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged. ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Apple M1 laptop", https://hackerapproved.com/p/apple-m1-chip/ (46 recommend, 9 mixed, 7 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026). Counts updated 3 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.