Apple's M5 chip is rumored to be in mass production - but we're still waiting for M4 MacBook Airs
Date:
Thu, 06 Feb 2025 15:10:28 +0000
Description:
We're still awaiting Apple's M4 Ultra chip (plus M4-powered MacBook Air laptops), but rumors of M5 chips going to production are ramping up.
FULL STORY ======================================================================Apple
is believed to be stepping up the production of its M5 chipset It's currently slated for later this year or early 2026 It's reported to stick with the TSMC 3nm process, with Apple yet to make a move to TSMC 2nm, which offers even greater power efficiency
We're still awaiting Apple's rumored M4 Ultra chip to be unveiled and
complete the M4 family later this year (plus M4-powered MacBook Airs are rumored to launch soon) - but it looks like the Cupertino company is already looking at what lies ahead for its future devices.
According to South Korean media outlet ET News (reported by MacRumors ), Apple's M5 chipset is already under mass production and could arrive as early as this year. These reports arrive amid speculation from Mark Gurman (who is known for his reliable Apple leaks) regarding the M4 Ultra chip, which is expected to outdo the M4 Max's 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU.
The new rumors also suggest that the M5 base model is currently the main
focus during mass production, with the premium models such as the M5 Pro and M5 Max set for later. Apple is reported to stick with the use of TSMC 3nm (nanometer process technology) which allows for good power efficiency and performance with smaller transistors, as seen in current M4 chips - Apple supposedly won't be using TSMC 2nm yet.
While we've yet to see what the M5 chipset will have to offer, we are even seeing rumors that hint that the M6 MacBook Pro (expected for 2026) could feature the biggest redesign yet, with an OLED screen - and of course, a much faster chip with the M6, but lets not get too far ahead of ourselves. (Image credit: Apple) Apple, please take gaming even more seriously this time around...
Now, I'm not suggesting that Apple hasn't already made an attempt to appeal
to gamers (especially with the recent M4 chips) and the ever-growing library of AAA games that are now compatible with Mac hardware - but I really want
the M5 chipset and future processors to better cater toward gamers.
This isn't just by providing stronger chips alone, and continuing to improve macOS' ability to handle games, but there is one way that Apple could win
over new gamers - and that is with handheld gaming PCs. Seeing how powerful the M series of chips have been for Macs, its undeniable how much of a powerhouse this would be if stacked up against the current handheld gaming devices we already have like the MSI Claw 8 AI+ or the Asus ROG Ally X .
Apple clearly has experience in handheld gaming, with the M4 iPad Pro able to run AAA games, plus modern iPhone games are getting increasingly ambitious. The iPad Pro is arguably the closest weve got to a Apple handheld gaming console or PC so far, and it would be even better if it ran macOS instead of iPadOS - as it would give us access to Steam and multiple other desktop
games.
While there would be a lot to be done on the part of game developers in terms of porting games to Mac devices at launch (something Apple has been working hard to make easier , to be fair), I think the Cupertino company could steal the spotlight with ease. I guess it's just a matter of whether it wants it enough... You may also like... Microsoft is finally fighting back against the rise of SteamOS by overhauling Windows 11 to be better on handhelds Best Mac games 2025 - the best Apple-friendly gaming experiences you can get The best computer in 2025: top desktop picks for work and play
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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/computing/macs/apples-m5-chip-is-rumored-to-be-in-ma ss-production-but-were-still-waiting-for-m4-macbook-airs
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