Intel’s website attacking Apple’s M1 MacBook is an epic fail of hypocrisy
Intel’s website tries to highlight how PCs are better than Macs, but it accidentally calls out Acer for false battery life claims.
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What you need to know
Intel has anew websitethat compares Windows-powered PCs to Apple’s M1 MacBooks (viaiMore). The website launched around the same time as Intel’s newseries of video adsstarring Justin Long. The website compares the devices in several ways, but only some comparisons are done in good faith.
The top of the website talks about how PCs offer form factor choice, full screen touch support, hundreds of games, and multi-4K display support. Those are all notable differences between Intel-powered PCs and Macs with Apple’s M1 chips.
If you scroll down further, however, you see a curious case of inconsistency. Intel’s website compares the battery life of the Acer Swift 5 to Apple’s MacBook Air with an M1 chip. First, the site clearly states that the MacBook Air gets better battery life than the Acer Swift 5. If you’re trying to highlight how good the battery life of an Intel-powered device is, you should probably find one with better battery life than the laptop you’re comparing it to.
Intel’s main point may not be the raw battery life figures, though. The text states that “Apple boasts their new M1 laptop has an 18hr battery life,” but that it delivers much less in real-world usage. In a hypocritical twist, Intel is also calling out Acer here.
Acer’s own website for the Swift 5clearly states that it gets up to 17 hours of battery life. But Intel’s website says that it only gets 10 hours and 6 minutes. That’s eerily similar to Intel stating that Apple claims 18 hours for the MacBook Air but that it only delivers 10 hours and 12 minutes.
Why I hate Intel’s attack ads on Apple’s M1 MacBooks
Battery life claims are always a bit suspect. It’s normal to see high claims for any of thebest Windows laptops. There isn’t a standard for battery life testing used across the industry. Many companies will do battery testing under very controlled conditions to be able to state high battery life figures. Case in point, Acer and Apple both do it, as accidentally highlighted by Intel.
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Our sister site iMore has a fullMacBook Air with M1 reviewthat includes real-world battery usage. Spoilers, it is neither 10 hours nor 18 hours. We also have anAcer Swift 5 reviewthat goes over battery life of the laptop.
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
