Sure, a many-many-core desktop will be able to beat the M1 when the workload extensively uses parallel processing. But there likely isn't any faster single-thread CPU in the world at the moment[0], barring any overclocking. If there is (maybe through other benchmarks), then the difference will be minor and the competing CPU would be extremely power hungry in comparison.

Remember the M1 is a 10W chip.

[0] https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html

You’re probably right for synthetic benchmarks.

But none of my workloads work on macOS. So the point is moot.

I did have an M1 MBA and mini until recently for reference.

16GB max ram is a non starter for any real work.

It really depends on what you’re working on. It seems fine for most of what I do. (Intellij / vscode and a compiler). I have 32 gigs because it’s cheap but I could get away with 8 gigs if I wanted to. I probably wouldn’t even notice.

M1 can accommodate 32G now? I thought 16 was max.

No; I have 32 gigs on my desktop machine. I assume they’ll have 32 gig options when the M1 MacBook Pro models land - whenever that happens.