Gurman: Apple Testing 'M3 Pro' Chip for MacBook Pro With 12-Core CPU and 18-Core GPU

[Wokis]

Here's hoping for the long awaited baseline RAM bump. It's insane to me that such a capable chip as the M2 is paired with 8GB and that I had to pay through the nose for a mere 24GB.

I can still run out of memory if I spend a day in photoshop. It's not the CPU or GPU that sets the limit for my experience.

 

[centauratlas]

I want his job. I can guess as good as he can. Apple is testing new chip that’s better than the current chip. See?

We can partner: and it will be released in the next 12-24 months. 😂

 

[jonblatho]

Apple still has to release the standard M3 chip before moving on to the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips.

They don’t have to do anything.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

We can partner: and it will be released in the next 12-24 months. 😂

I think you forgot to use the favorite word of the year: 'imminent'. 🙈

Apple's Announcement of New iPhone 14 Color Option is 'Imminent'

Apple's rumored announcement of at least one new iPhone 14 color option is "imminent," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said today in a tweet....

www.macrumors.com

 

[Malus120]

Not sure I'll have the cash (or need) to pony up for an M3 Max but I'm definitely considering side-grading to an M3 Pro when the time comes. Faster CPU, better e-cores, longer battery life and with the smaller process and architectural improvements I have a feeling even the binned M3 Pro should come close enough to the 32C M1 Max GPU in theoretical performance and exceed it in a lot of apps/games.

Then again my M1 Max is still amazing so we'll see.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

It’s sometime in October/November of 2023 and Apple announces MacBook Pro 14” & 16” in Matte Black. Let’s go!!! 🖤🔥

View attachment 2201868

...to match the color of the bruises when they also reveal the new, "improved" pricing and even the fan-iest fans are fainting in shock.

 

[Julchen4151]

I wonder why the "odd" size of 36GB of RAM. We know that RAM tends to revolve around eights or sixteens and neither of those goes smoothly into 36.

could it be the same 32GB available and the rest for EEC?

 

[CWallace]

Full steam ahead on 3nm! I wonder what m3 max and/or ultra will look like ?

If it tracks to M2:

M3 Max could be 14 compute and 40 GPU cores.
M3 Ultra could be 28 compute and 80 GPU cores.

 

[Bug-Creator]

and 36GB of memory

Thats either a typo (32GB) or points to a very odd RAM config with 3 12GB chips.

Apple still has to release the standard M3 chip before moving on to the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips

Says who?
Quite plausible that they might stick with the M2 for consumer products and won't update those till "M4" is ready.

 

[ScottishDuck]

⚠️⚠️⚠️Breaking news⚠️⚠️⚠️

I can officially confirm the successor to the M3 chip will be called M4!!!!!!!

 

[kiranmk2]

Hopefully this will be a baseline shift to 12 GB for the M3 with M3 Pro/Max starting at 24 GB

 

[CWallace]

I wonder why the "odd" size of 36GB of RAM. We know that RAM tends to revolve around eights or sixteens and neither of those goes smoothly into 36. I would assume 8-16-24-32 (as we have seen) 40-48-56-64, etc. options vs. an oddball like 36GB.

With the M2 Pro, Apple switched to 4x4GB RAM modules instead of the 2x8GB modules used in the M1 Pro for the 16GB base configuration. This is believed to be due to supply chain constraints on 8GB RAM modules so it is possible Apple could be using 3x12GB modules in the M3 Pro for 36GB.

EDIT - It stands to reason Apple will continue to offer four "pads" for memory modules in the M3 Pro and M3 Max so they could get 36GB using 2x12GB + 2x6GB modules as there are 6GB LPDDR5 RAM modules.

 

[fbr$]

...or points to a very odd RAM config with 3 12GB chips.

It makes sense for Apple to jump from 8GB not to 16GB but to 12GB in the base M3 Air, so memory could come in multiples of 12GB.

 

[Bug-Creator]

Apple switched to 4x4GB RAM modules instead of the 2x8GB

2 channels with 2 chips each vs. 2 channels with 1 chip

3x12GB

1 channel with 2 chips plus one channel with 1? 1 channel with 3 chips? 3 channels?

 

[Bug-Creator]

8GB not to 16GB but to 12GB

These chips exist in 4, 8 and 12GB and you'll need 2 for a base M1/2. So unless Apples plans to go single channel they would need to custom source 6GB chips.

 

[wilhoitm]

0 nm = Quantum Computing

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

could it be the same 32GB available and the rest for EEC?

A little block of dedicated RAM for something? Maybe???

I'm guessing typo and maybe that was net available ram from perhaps 40GB when the source got some peek at the RAM amount.

Else, does it make any technical sense to extrapolate that to a 9GB RAM minimum config, then 18GB, 27GB, 36GB and so on. All my years in computing has always revolved around "multiples of 8" for RAM, so that would be something very different. Could it make any technical sense for those with more knowledge of such things? Does a base of 9 make any special sense, offer any cost savings to Apple, any special advantage of everything being based on 8? If there is something, why not 10 instead of 9 or maybe 12?

 

[Realityck]

Apple is testing an unreleased chip with a 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, and 36GB of memory, according to an App Store developer log obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip is being tested inside a future high-end MacBook Pro running the upcoming macOS 14 update, which is expected to be announced at WWDC next month.

Please note that Mark Gurman once again can only discuss Macs from a very limited hardware perspective, he has no knowledge of anything MacOS 14. Yes I think the 36 GB RAM max is odd because it is not a multiple of 8GB.

Notice his hard sell of the M3 over the M2 again.

Apple Inc. is still a few weeks away from debuting its next set of Macs with M2 chips, but that’s not stopping it from readying a follow-up processor: the M3.
The company has begun putting next-generation Macs with the M3 chips through their paces, testing them with third-party apps to ensure compatibility with its software ecosystem. It’s not the first time that we’ve gotten an early glimpse at new chips through this process. The company has previously revealed specifications of the upcoming 15-inch MacBook Air and Apple Silicon Mac Pro, as well as many of the prior M2-based machines.
The company needs fresh ways to entice customers back to the lineup, and the M3 could help with that. Apple’s Mac business suffered a 31% sales decline last quarter, missing analysts’ already-downbeat estimates.

This is like continuing to pitch the M2 is somewhat inferior to M3 lets all wait for the M3 to bring customers back to Macs. Hey Mark did anyone ever explain the Osborn effect example to you? Also he's pushing his January 2021 15" MBA its coming soon rumor still, well where is it? WWDC 2023 you better hope so.

 

[andrewxgx]

These chips exist in 4, 8 and 12GB and you'll need 2 for a base M1/2. So unless Apples plans to go single channel they would need to custom source 6GB chips.

or they swtitched to 384-bit bus width (3x12 GB)
which should mean monster 768-bit on m3 max

 

[bplein]

These chips exist in 4, 8 and 12GB and you'll need 2 for a base M1/2. So unless Apples plans to go single channel they would need to custom source 6GB chips.

These aren’t memory chips. The memory is integrated on the CPU. They can do whatever makes sense for their architecture.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

A little block of dedicated RAM for something? Maybe???

I'm guessing typo and maybe that was net available ram from perhaps 40GB when the source got some peek at the RAM amount.

Else, does it make any technical sense to extrapolate that to a 9GB RAM minimum config, then 18GB, 27GB, 36GB and so on. All my years in computing has always revolved around "multiples of 8" for RAM, so that would be something very different. Could it make any technical sense for those with more knowledge of such things? Does a base of 9 make any special sense, offer any cost savings to Apple, any special advantage of everything being based on 8? If there is something, why not 10 instead of 9 or maybe 12?

My guess is 12, that way they can say that their computers no longer start at 8GB of RAM… but still not enough to make people here happy.
Then your options for the air would be 12 or 24, and your options for the Pro would be 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, etc.

 

[Warped9]

Makes me feel better about waiting for the M3 iMac.

 

[DailySlow]

Apple is testing an unreleased chip with a 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, and 36GB of memory, according to an App Store developer log obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip is being tested inside a future high-end MacBook Pro running the upcoming macOS 14 update, which is expected to be announced at WWDC next month.

In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said this chip could be the base-level M3 Pro for the next-generation 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models launching next year. The chip is expected to be manufactured based on TSMC's 3nm process for significant performance and power efficiency improvements.

The current base-level M2 Pro chip in the 14-inch MacBook Pro has a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, and starts with 16GB of memory, so the M3 Pro chip would have at least two extra cores for both the CPU and GPU. Apple last updated the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro in January, so the laptops are unlikely to be updated again until at least 2024.

Apple still has to release the standard M3 chip before moving on to the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. Gurman said Apple is working on new iMac, MacBook Air, and low-end MacBook Pro models with the M3 chip, and he continues to believe the first Macs with the M3 chip will be released towards the end of this year or early next year.

In the meantime, Gurman said the long-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air will be released this summer with the M2 chip. He previously said the laptop would be announced at WWDC, which begins with Apple's keynote on June 5.

Article Link: Gurman: Apple Testing 'M3 Pro' Chip for MacBook Pro With 12-Core CPU and 18-Core GPU

The longest running buyer's frenzy in consumer electronics/computer history streaks on.

 

[Bug-Creator]

These aren’t memory chips.

They for sure are

The memory is integrated on the CPU.

Nope, the are packaged together with the M1/2_PRO_MAX_ULTRA chip to form the SoC

They can do whatever makes sense for their architecture.

They can do whatever they can source from their supplier

 

[Dydegu]

The new generation of Apple Silicon is going to be insane. And even better if they finally rise the base level RAM across the board, with 36GB being the base memory configuration for the Pro lineup. Hoping at least 16GB of base memory for M3 lineup.

Zero chance 36GB is the base memory configuration. 16GB is plenty for many users.