Expect a 12-core processor in Apple’s upcoming M3 Pro chips
Reportedly coming as soon as this year.
While Apple’s long-rumoured virtual reality headset is currently talk of the town, it looks like there are big performance jumps in store for its Mac laptops later this year. A new report has suggested that the brand is going to cram in extra CPU power thanks to some redesigned chipsets, starting with M3 Pro.
According to Apple analyst Mark Gurman, the M3 Pro chipset should usher in a 12-core CPU as part of the silicon processor. Extra CPU cores mean extra power, and you’ll usually find them on processor upgrades. So, what makes this one so special? It’s part of an expected overhaul of the chips, packing them more densely thanks to 3nm production. What this means is that there’s extra room to cram in additional cores, functionality, and space for heat dissipation. Apple‘s manufacturer reckons they’ll be up to 15% more powerful, while using up to 30% less power.
Gurman has a reliable track record under his belt, and this matches up with other Mac expectations. He details that these details were shared in App Store developer logs. Needless to say, this isn’t yet confirmed. But if we look at Apple’s chipset history, things line up even more. M2 Pro featured 8 and 10-core CPUs, so another step up with the next-gen version makes sense.
As for when we could see this processor arrive, Gurman reckons we should look towards the end of this year. You know what that means, new Macs! And an end of year release follows suit with Apple’s last few Mac releases. Stay tuned for more powerful Macs coming soon.
- Read more: Apple WWDC 2023: what to expect and when
Connor Jewiss
