Intel hires Justin Long to mock Macs as a throwback to the 2000s “I’m a Mac” ads | GeekComparison

Chipmaker Intel has run a series of ads mocking Apple’s M1 Macs, and it brought in actor Justin Long – famous for his role in Apple’s ‘I’m a Mac’ ads in the 2000s opposite comedian John Hodgman – to To criticize Apple’s own ad campaign.

In five video ads labeled “Justin Gets Real” published on Intel’s YouTube channel, Long begins by saying, “Hi, I’m a… Justin, just a real person making a real Mac vs PC comparison. ,” referring to the beginnings of “Hello, I’m a Mac” and “I’m a PC” to Apple’s numerous advertisements.

Long briefly examines a Windows laptop with an Intel processor and then an Apple Silicon-equipped Mac. Finally, he comes to conclusions about how the Macs are too limited compared to what the Intel PCs can do.

It’s no coincidence that the two Macs compared unfavorably in the ads are Apple’s M1-based MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers. Intel has been besieged lately, with both Apple’s M1 and AMD’s Ryzen processors consistently beating Intel in performance. The ads seem to point to other, mostly non-performance, reasons why Intel laptops can provide a better experience than Apple’s recent M1 Macs.

Some of these reasons sound partially true, while others are a stretch. In one example, Long examines an Intel-based Windows laptop connected to three external monitors, then sees a Mac laptop that only supports one external monitor. This is true; by default, the new M1 laptops only work with one external monitor at a time, although the M1 Mac mini can power two displays. However, other Macs that still have Intel CPUs will work with more monitors, just like the Windows machine in the ad.

That said, this is an example of one of the critiques brought out in the ads that may not stand the test of time. Apple has been clear in interviews and statements that the first wave of Macs with Apple Silicon were low-end machines with limited features and ports compared to the more expensive laptops in the company’s lineup. We’re not sure yet, but it seems likely that more expensive Apple Silicon Macs expected to launch in the coming months will indeed support more external displays.

It’s worth noting that some of the original Mac ads these videos riff on were equally distorted in their PC characterizations.

Other examples of Intel’s new ads include a brief conversation with a PC gamer where the PC gamer says, “Nobody really plays on a Mac,” and Long is quick to agree. There’s also a series where Long is surprised and disappointed that he can’t use a touch interface on a MacBook’s screen. He’s instead confused by the Touch Bar (which, according to some reports, isn’t expected to ship in new Macs from Apple later this year, according to some reports).

Intel still supplies processors for some Macs, but Apple is expected to replace them in most, if not all, Mac lines over the next year and a half. We’ve included some of the ads above, and here’s the rest of the lineup below.

List image by Intel