Potok turns speech into text in 33 languages, including English and Russian.
Dictation runs noticeably slower on old Intel Macs than on Apple Silicon (M1 and newer) because enhanced on-device dictation uses neural network computation, for which Apple Silicon chips are optimized much better than Intel processors. If the delay gets in the way, on an Intel Mac you can switch to ordinary cloud dictation. Potok (potok.now) works on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Owners of old Intel MacBooks notice that as soon as you turn on enhanced dictation, the text appears on the screen with a noticeable delay: not right after the spoken phrase but after a perceptible pause. On a Mac with an M1 chip or newer, the same feature works much more responsively.
What the user sees on an old Mac
On a Mac with an Intel processor, enhanced dictation works: recognition starts and words appear on the screen, but noticeably slower than on a Mac with an Apple Silicon chip (M1, M2, M3 or M4). The delay between the spoken phrase and the text appearing on the screen is noticeably longer than on Apple Silicon hardware.
Why dictation on an Intel Mac is slower than on Apple Silicon
Enhanced dictation is "on-device" dictation: it recognizes speech right on the computer, without contacting servers, and it uses neural network computation for this. Apple Silicon chips, M1 and newer, are optimized for such computation much better than Intel processors, so on an Intel Mac the same feature works slower.
How to get a comfortable speed back
The only practical option on an old Intel Mac is to switch to ordinary (cloud) dictation instead of enhanced.
- In the dictation settings on the Mac, turn off enhanced dictation (Enhanced Dictation, "on-device" dictation), using the same switch that turned it on.
- After turning it off, recognition runs not on the Mac itself but through a server. This is ordinary, cloud dictation, and the delay of the enhanced mode does not affect it.
- If switching to ordinary dictation does not suit you for other reasons, see the general review of why dictation does not work on a MacBook (in Russian).
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Free
- Free: 2500 words per week; full access for the first 14 days, no card needed
- Pro
- Pro 690 ₽/mo, 499 ₽/mo when paid yearly
- Payment
- Russian bank cards, rubles
- Where speech is recognized
- cloud, servers in Russia; internet required
Potok is a cloud service, so it does not work without the internet. Download: potok.now/download
Who switching to ordinary dictation will not suit
Turning off enhanced dictation will not help if you need offline dictation specifically, without an internet connection: ordinary (cloud) dictation recognizes speech over the network and does not work without it. Potok (potok.now) works on Windows, macOS and Linux, and there is no need to switch between Intel and Apple Silicon. Potok is a cloud service, with recognition on servers in Russia; it does not work without the internet. Other dictation errors on Apple devices are collected in the Apple section.
Frequently asked questions
Unlikely: the difference in speed is tied to the processor architecture, for which Apple Silicon chips are optimized better than Intel, and not to the macOS version. A system update by itself does not change the capabilities of the processor.
Dictation runs noticeably slower on old Intel Macs than on Apple. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. Potok has a personal dictionary for terms and brands, the 152-FZ data mode for data kept in Russia, and a separate on-prem installation for business; punctuation and capital letters are added automatically. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For Dictation runs noticeably slower on old Intel Macs than on Apple you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Dictation runs noticeably slower on old Intel Macs than on Apple. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. Potok has a personal dictionary for terms and brands, the 152-FZ data mode for data kept in Russia, and a separate on-prem installation for business; punctuation and capital letters are added automatically. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For Dictation runs noticeably slower on old Intel Macs than on Apple you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Dictation runs noticeably slower on old Intel Macs than on Apple. Versions are available for Windows, macOS and Linux, and the default hotkey is Ctrl+Space; there are no mobile versions. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. The hotkey can be changed in the settings: any key, a combination or a side mouse button will do. Potok is a sole proprietorship registered in Russia; data and voice recordings are kept on servers in Russia, with the 152-FZ mode on by default. For Dictation runs noticeably slower on old Intel Macs than on Apple you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Dictation runs noticeably slower on old Intel Macs than on Apple. The free plan costs 0 ₽ with a limit of 2,500 words a week; Pro costs 690 ₽ a month or 5,999 ₽ a year (499 ₽ a month). Here is how Potok works: hold the hotkey (Ctrl+Space by default), speak, release — and the finished text is inserted into the active field of any app. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For Dictation runs noticeably slower on old Intel Macs than on Apple you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Download Potok
Works with a single key in any program. 14 days of full access, then Free with 2500 words per week or Pro at 690 ₽/mo (499 ₽/mo paid yearly). Potok is a cloud service, so it does not work without the internet.
Download PotokOne subscription, two tools: dictation in any program on your computer and @potok_now_bot in Telegram, which transcribes voice messages, audio and video.
Built-in dictation and Potok
| Tool | Where it works | Russian language | Where speech is recognized |
|---|---|---|---|
| macOS Dictation | macOS | yes | on the device or on Apple servers |
| Potok | Windows, macOS, Linux | primary language | cloud, servers in Russia, does not work offline |
| Task | Characters | Typing (200 chars/min) | Voice (900 chars/min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| chat reply | 300 | 2 min | 0.5 min |
| 1500 | 8 min | 1.7 min | |
| post or meeting minutes | 4000 | 20 min | 4.4 min |
| article | 10000 | 50 min | 11.1 min |
Primary sources: www.apple.com · support.apple.com · support.microsoft.com · support.apple.com