To help differentiate the old from the new, Google has introduced an updated icon for the ARM version. But those are notorious for being RAM hogs, while draining battery life like it’s nobody’s business.

This is what Intel-powered Macs, like the ones released before late 2020, have been powered by. The “old” version of Chrome is still hanging around, but this is built on the more traditional ‘x86’ architecture.

Notably, Chrome 87 is said to offer up to 5x less CPU usage, an extra 1.25-hours of battery life, while opening 25% faster. When it comes to Google Chrome, the company claims that this new optimized version will provide substantial upgrades. This new architecture, known as either “Apple Silicon” or “ARM”, is designed to be much less power hungry, much more efficient, and generally provide a better overall experience. Essentially, these new devices have processors built similarly to the processors found in the iPhone 12 lineup. With the all-new Apple M1 chip powering the late-2020 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini, this means that there’s a new architecture at the helm. Why are there different versions of Chrome?

How to download the right version of Chrome.

Why are there different versions of Chrome?.

Google chrome for macbook air 2020