Apple is reportedly testing its M3 Max chip, a potential successor to the M2 chip, for its upcoming MacBook Pro models. The M3 Max chip is said to feature 16 CPU cores, including 12 high-performance cores and four efficiency cores, along with 40 GPU cores and up to 48GB of memory.
According to reports by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, the M3 Max chip is in the testing phase, and it is expected to be manufactured by Apple’s supplier TSMC using their advanced 3nm processor technology. The M3 chip lineup is believed to consist of different models, including the base M3 with eight CPU cores and up to 10 GPU cores, and the M3 Pro with 12 CPU cores and 18 GPU cores. However, the high-end M3 Max chip has not been seen in test logs yet.
Apple’s transition to the M3 chip is expected to commence in October, starting with updates to entry-level Mac models. Various models such as iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini are undergoing testing with M3-based configurations. Over the next year, these models are projected to be officially introduced, with upgraded versions of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models slated to arrive in 2024, equipped with the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips.
The adoption of the M3 chip lineup is anticipated to be a significant selling point for Apple, following the success of its M1 chip introduced in 2020. This move marks Apple’s expansion of its proprietary silicon technology from laptops to other devices like iPad Pro and iMac models.
