Some people have reported problems using their 2020 MBA for certain applications, in particular with video teleconferencing (Zoom or Skype). The cause might be in how it handles combined CPU and GPU work. The CPU works to encode your outgoing video and decode the incoming video, while the GPU works to render each video frame on the screen.
As you can see below, according to Notebookcheck, the 2020 MBA runs the i5 CPU about 78% slower when taxing both the CPU and GPU than when just the CPU is taxed.
For comparison, the 2019 13-inch MBP (2TB) runs the CPU at half-speed in a similar workload, and the 2019 13-inch MBP (4TB) with its two cooling fans loses only 30% of its CPU performance when the GPU also gets taxed.
As a side note, Notebookcheck.net usually runs their CPU and GPU stress tests in Windows, but they note that performance can be better in MacOS, and sometimes they report CPU and GPU stress results in MacOS too. Here are the 16-inch MBP's results.
Since these processors are different and performance can be better in MacOS, I would not pay too much attention to the raw numbers. Instead, I would focus on the relative performance drops when each model performs combined CPU and GPU workloads, which might explain what is going on with the 2020 MBA and video teleconferencing.
As you can see below, according to Notebookcheck, the 2020 MBA runs the i5 CPU about 78% slower when taxing both the CPU and GPU than when just the CPU is taxed.
| 1.7 GHz x 4 cores, sustained CPU load using 10W at 100 degrees C in MacOS |
| 0.37 GHz x 4 cores, sustained CPU & GPU load using 10W at 99 degrees C in Windows |
CPU runs 78% slower when also using the GPU |
For comparison, the 2019 13-inch MBP (2TB) runs the CPU at half-speed in a similar workload, and the 2019 13-inch MBP (4TB) with its two cooling fans loses only 30% of its CPU performance when the GPU also gets taxed.
| 3.0 GHz x 4 cores, sustained CPU load using 27-29W at ?? degrees C in MacOS |
| 1.5 GHz x 4 cores, sustained CPU & GPU load using 28W at 87 degrees C in Windows |
CPU runs 50% slower when also using the GPU |
| 3.3 GHz x 4 cores, sustained CPU load using 33 W at ?? degrees C in MacOS |
| 2.3 GHz x 4 cores, sustained CPU & GPU load using 32W at 79 degrees C in Windows |
CPU runs 30% slower when also using the GPU |
As a side note, Notebookcheck.net usually runs their CPU and GPU stress tests in Windows, but they note that performance can be better in MacOS, and sometimes they report CPU and GPU stress results in MacOS too. Here are the 16-inch MBP's results.
2019 16-inch MBP i9 45W CPU (with dedicated GPU) |
|---|
| 1.8 GHz x 8 cores, sustained CPU & GPU load using 30W at 78 degrees C in Windows |
| 2.0 GHz x 8 cores, sustained CPU & GPU load using 27W at 82 degrees C in MacOS |
Since these processors are different and performance can be better in MacOS, I would not pay too much attention to the raw numbers. Instead, I would focus on the relative performance drops when each model performs combined CPU and GPU workloads, which might explain what is going on with the 2020 MBA and video teleconferencing.
