if I say 'this Apple M5 chip is 3x faster' than this intel chip, it implies two things:

- the run time of most operations that runs on it is now reduced (so one quantity is smaller)

- but also: MORE WORK is being completed per unit of time compared to the intel chip (so this quantity is greater)

So yes, a greater quantity is being measured in the apple chip compared to the intel when you say apple is N times faster. i guess this a quirk with the word 'faster' - it actually measures two things, time and work performed per unit of time. the word smaller just measures size.

like, if I give a customer a cup of coffee one day, then give them a SMALLER cup of coffee the next day, for the same price, but declare "It's now 2X more space efficient!" i.e. it's now half the size, I'm certain the customer is gonna be pissed.