SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Apple on Tuesday announced M1, the first chip it has designed specifically for the Mac.

M1 is optimized for Mac systems which features a unified memory architecture for improved performance and efficiency, the company said.

M1 is the first personal computer chip built using 5-nanometer process technology and is packed with 16 billion transistors, the most Apple has ever put into a chip.

"It builds on more than a decade of designing industry-leading chips for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, and ushers in a whole new era for the Mac," said Johny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Technologies.

"With its unique combination of remarkable performance, powerful features, and incredible efficiency, M1 is by far the best chip we've ever created," he added.