Was hoping for an option "I have both an Apple Silicon & Intel Mac", but here's my quick thoughts:
Apple Silicon:
Over time, since getting my M1 MBP in November 2020, each update has slowly introduced more bugs and slowness. Basic things like having a Screensaver that I've used for YEARS (like, 8+ years at least, just another .saver Screensaver file) causes my CPU to max out overnight while I'm not even at my machine. Being on another floor in my home and seeing the prompt on my Apple Watch that it just woke my Mac and is now unlocked. I'm not even in front of it, I'm literally upstairs from it. Someone else could have been in front of it, though, and then had access to my computer. I'm probably exaggerating with the "bugs" but I should be able to come back to it overnight for it to be relatively cool and not freaking out... Used to see in iStat Menus that the temp of the chips were quite low, too. Now it seems like everything is hot all the time. It's been better, but the "current state" isn't as good as it's been, and it hasn't been out long. BUT, I'm still amazed at what this thing can do. At times it seems like it's just average, but then I'm able to have Logic Pro, Chrome, Safari, Photos app, Reeder, Music app, Spring & Mona, Citrix apps, Messages, the Mail app... All open at the same time and no crashing or anything. Reminds me of back when Snow Leopard came out. This bugs me because it takes a Screensaver to max out my CPU?
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Intel:
I bought a 2018 Intel Mac mini around the same time as my M1 MBP, planning on using it for storage and just an always on home media server type of computer. I've ended up probably using it more than my M1 MBP. I use a LOT of Parallels Virtual Machines, some for fun and some for work. I can easily have 2-3 VM's running, while still having all of the other apps I use open. At this point, with Apple moving AWAY from Intel machines, we're not going to see much as far as "improvements" go. I'm sure they're not putting the same effort into the Intel Machines as they are the AS ones. But also, I'm not sure what else is needed on the Intel side? For me at least, my Mac mini runs GREAT. I keep a ton of apps open, run VM's, and use it for work (all at the same time). I've been hoping the AS machines would start seeing more improvements, putting them in line with the older Intel machines, but I suppose a machine with 64GB of memory would handle things better than the MBP with only 16GB of memory. Which is why I love the M1 MBP so much. It does SO much on very little. I'm still able to do a little more on the Intel Mac mini, though.
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No hate for either. I was REALLY happy & surprised at how great my M1 machine ran when I got it, assuming there'd be plenty of growing pains with the new CPU architecture. But nope! Most everything I wanted to do with it worked right out of the box. It's been the updates since (Big Sur was great initially!) that seem to have introduced more and more issues over time. And that's not related to AS or Intel. Like, on either of my machines, I'm no longer able to select a folder in the Photos App to use to randomly cycle thru Desktop Wallpaper (FB13282770). That's no fault of the CPU Architecture. It's an issue for me and others on both AS & Intel machines and has been happening since Sonoma beta 1, and others are reporting the same thing. Something like THAT bugs me. Why force something to break just to encourage folks to use their new fancy Apple TV Screensavers? And without going into details, yes I have done my fair share of troubleshooting & reporting bugs to Apple, just as I have for the last 20+ years.
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