A news report from Taiwan's media Commercial Times said that Apple is already working on the core design of the M3 chip.
Apple fans can look forward to two exciting reveals later this 2022. First is Apple's next-generation version of its powerful M1 silicon chip, which will be called "M2." Second is the rumored debut of several new Macs, which would feature the M2 chip!
Rumors on Apple's M3 Chip
A report by Wccftech said that the Taiwan media leaked the code name of the upcoming M3 chip, which is allegedly called "Malma".
The N3E architecture used by TSMC will be used to mass produce the next-generation silicon. The N3 process, commonly known as the 3nm process, is reported to be improved upon by N3E.
In comparison to N5, N3 is believed to offer up to a 15% performance boost and a 30% power saving improvement.
When Can We Expect M3's Launch
According to the report, M3 might go on market in the first quarter of 2024 or during the first half of 2023.
Since mass production of 3nm chips has reportedly begun, we may see the first batch from Apple next year.
There is a possibility that TSMC will experience issues in the future because of the challenges involved in mass producing chips using a 3nm lithography. These issues might force Apple to delay the M3's release date.
Which Devices Can Use the M3 Chip?
It's possible that Apple will use the M3 in devices like the MacBook Air, which might see a boost in display size and better thermal performance as a result of a bigger cooling system.
The revised iPad Pro series, the updated iMac, and even an iPad Air could be a possibility as well.
Current Apple's M2 Chip
As of this writing, M2 is the latest Apple silicon generation. Apple said that you can quickly do your usual work routine like making documents and presentations or take on more demanding operations thanks to its 8-core CPU.
M2 offers a 10-core GPU, which significantly improves graphics performance as compared to the previous M1 chip.
Apple asserts that the M2 chip can execute multi-core tasks up to 18% faster than the M1 chip, as per the report by Tom's Guide.
The M2 also features a 16-core Neural Engine, similar to the M1. According to Apple, the M2's Neural Engine can process up to 15.8 trillion operations per second, which is a 40% increase over the M1's.
According to Apple, the M2 Chipset can support up to 24GB of memory and provide up to two times the performance of the M1 chip while consuming just half the power.
According to Tom's Guide, here are the top features and improvements you should know about Apple's M2 Chip:
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New 5-nanometer chip
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8-core CPU and up to a 12-core GPU
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Features 20 billion transistors
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Can support 100 GB/s unified memory bandwidth
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Supports up to 24GB unified memory
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16-core Neural Engine with improvements over M1 Neural Engine
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Capable of playing back multiple streams of ProRes 4K/8K video
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