Also, real world speeds will be even slower for most users because unlike on M1 Macs, most software is still x86/x64 and will need to be run under translation to ARM. This is understandably a chicken and the egg problem of course because software developers see no need to port their Windows software to ARM due to its very low market share.

In this case, slightly worse; it's 20% slower than an M3 Pro (though the naming implies that maybe they're aiming more at the Max or Ultra end of the market, in which case maybe it's a lot worse?)

Oh, the press know. They also know that gimmicky headlines get clicks.