As powerful and efficient as the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini with Apple M1 are, some Mac fans decided to skip the first silicon laptops from Apple in the hope that what comes next will be better.
It is a reasonable strategy if you are not at the forefront of computing. Apple is almost certain to update its two most popular laptops with even faster M-series processors. These chips are also likely to reach more Apple desktops and laptops in the coming months.
So, what new features and performance increases can you expect if you decide to wait? Rumors are spreading and they are painting an outline of what the future of Apple’s silicon computers will be like. Rumors also tell us when the new models will be announced. Like many other new technology products launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, there may be significant delays.
Let’s take a look at the latest Mac-o-sphere conjectures and reasoned guesses.
What will Apple call its next Mac chip?
The Apple M1 is the first modern computer processor that Apple has designed internally. This efficient but powerful system on a chip (SoC) rivals the best performance that Intel Core and AMD Ryzen laptop CPUs have to offer.
Chips for laptops and desktops evolve at breakneck speed, with Intel’s new silicon recently being updated about once a year. If Apple keeps up with all these innovations, its next Mac-centric processor could be a refinement of the current M1, rather than a big leap forward. Therefore, it stands to reason that you will probably use the nickname “M1X” instead of jumping to “M2”. This is in line with some leaked CPU Monkey benchmarks and other rumors, all of which seem to suggest that the next chip will be a faster version of the same basic chip design.
There may be a few more CPU cores on the next chip; the leaked benchmarks point to 12 CPU cores and eight graphics cores. This represents eight of each type of kernel in the current project. The M1 has four high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores so you can direct the right amount of power to computing tasks with different requirements.
Apple does not share many details about the processors it uses in its products, whether they are developed in-house or even if they are manufactured by Intel. So we don’t know the official clock speed of the M1, although the results of the CPU Monkey benchmark suggest that it and its successor will have the same upper speed limit of 3.2 GHz. In theory, with more cores comes more power consumption, however, and the leaked benchmarks suggest that the rumored M1X will need more than 45 watts at the peak.
What will the next Mac desktops look like?
Reliable rumors suggest that Apple is likely to make significant upgrades to its desktop and laptop lines in 2021.
Desktops are perhaps the ones most in need of an overhaul, with the iconic iMac all-in-one (AIO) receiving few cosmetic changes since its current design language was launched more than a decade ago. While the 27-inch iMac was updated last summer with Intel 10th Generation Core CPUs, the basic 21.5-inch version is starting to look outdated.
Apple could replace the two sizes of its iMac with an entirely new design inspired by the company’s external Pro Display XDR monitor, according to Bloomberg. The new models are likely to set aside the thick black borders around the screen and eliminate or reduce the metal strip below it. They will also likely end up with a curved back in favor of a flat surface similar to the Pro Display XDR, reports Bloomberg, citing people familiar with Apple’s plans.
Apple Pro Display XDR
The new iMac is likely to use next-generation versions of Apple’s own processors instead of the Intel processors in the current lineup. Whether this is the M1X rumor or another chip is yet to be seen.
In addition to an iMac overhaul, Apple also plans to launch new versions of the Mac Pro desktop, according to Bloomberg. This traditional-sized tower, unlike iMacs designed without a built-in screen, is aimed at professionals with serious computing needs. It currently offers robust Intel Xeon processors and can be configured with multiple GPUs. Bloomberg suggests that Apple will continue to offer Intel versions of the Mac Pro while introducing an Apple Silicon version that will be about half the size of the current desktop.
Meanwhile, the iMac Pro is unlikely to receive silicon from Apple, at least in the near future. Apple has confirmed that it plans to discontinue this top-of-the-line AIO as soon as existing stock is depleted.
Are the new MacBooks on the horizon?
The MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 chips were launched with much praise last fall. With the exception of the new silicon, however, they are largely unchanged from their predecessors. Apple plans to launch a completely new Mac laptop with a 14-inch screen sometime this year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a research note obtained by MacRumors, Kuo writes that Apple will announce two new MacBook models, with an updated 16-inch laptop next to the 14-inch laptop. In addition to Apple’s next-generation silicon that is likely to power them, they will also feature resurrected design elements, such as HDMI ports and SD card readers, says Kuo. (Current MacBook Air and Pro models use only USB Type-C / Thunderbolt ports for video output.)
Apple MacBook Air
Apple removed these features from its Pro notebooks in 2016, motivated in part by what executive Phil Schiller described as the complicated process of using a notebook with an SD card attached. “You have this thing coming out in half,” said Schiller of SD cards at the time.
Bloomberg also reports that the new Mac laptops will get rid of the Touch Bar, the narrow touchscreen mounted above the keyboard, which has long been criticized by some users.
Rumors about the release date: when will new Macs be released?
While the incredible Macs are clearly on the horizon, they probably won’t be coming to the Apple Store any time soon. While Apple may hold a launch event later this month for new products, it will likely be focused on new mobile devices and accessories, not new Macs.
In fact, we may have to wait until the second half of the year to see if many of the Mac rumors mentioned above really do emerge. Two new MacBook laptops scheduled for mass production in May or June have been postponed to the end of 2021, according to Nikkei Asia. It is unclear what these models are, but a 16-inch MacBook Pro using Apple’s silicon appears to be one of them.
If you chose to skip Macs with M1 while waiting for what comes next, you can wait a little longer. It is not all smooth in front of Apple, however, as this month’s rumored launch event will likely be filled with notable designs. AirTags, a new iPad Pro, updated AirPods and an Apple TV are reportedly available.