High END AS chips, What should we expect?

[fourthtunz]

This M1 news is very exciting!
Are there any rumors or do any of you have any idea of what kind of high end
AS Chips that Apple will come out with?
I realize that the folks with thread rippers are not amazed by these chips
but as someone with the I9 16" MacBook that has been beat by a $699 mac mini
I'm pretty stoked for the future!
Do you think we're looking at 32 core or?
Thanks for playing!

 

[bobmans]

My guess is that the next M-family chipset will have a way better GPU on a different die than the CPU, then the freed up transistor budget can go to extra CPU cores.

 

[matrix07]

I think the M1 is already powerful enough. The most Apple will do, IMO, on a true Pro MacBook next would be 8 fire core and 4 ice core, some kind of discreet graphic, up to 32 GB RAM and multiple external monitors support.
The true selling points would be a re-designed with new 14” and 16” screen, could be 120 Hz.
This will get you 4 ports MacBook Pro, an iMac (not iMac Pro) and possibly Mac mini Pro.

 

[tdar]

Apple has said that they are developing a family of AS processors. I expect that we can infer that means that there will be maybe 3 levels of AS. The M1 represents the entry level. A middle level processor which will have more cores and possible faster clock speeds, will be for systems like the remaining MacBook’s and the smaller iMac.
Then a high end processor for the larger iMac,a potential iMac Pro and the Mac Pro.
After the holidays stay tuned, I expect that stuff will happen fast.

 

[IowaLynn]

MacRumors, Ars, Anandtech are looking at 4 and 5nm chips and A16 ARM in 2022. So maybe mid-2021 is my guess for iMac - whether M1X or M2 they will gradually, not overnight, be out.

 

[norsemen]

 

[fourthtunz]

Thank you guys for the info. I was wondering how competitive the SOC design team are
so I posted this. I have to think that some of the people at Apple are itching to beat
the pants off the other pc makers after so many years of having more expensive but slower
computers. Exciting times! Thanks for playing!

 

[Zarniwoop]

My guess is, based on these rumors, that biggest improvement in M1X will be
- twice the I/O- bandwidth (more USB-ports, 10Gbit eth option, faster SSD + PCIv4 16x for Lifuka GPU)
- double the RAM
- 2-4 additional GPU cores.

For Mac Mini better model, 14” MBP, 16” MBP entry model and iMac 24” Entry Model.
Lifuka GPU for 16“ MBP and 24” iMac better model.

Same 5nm node, coming spring 2021.

 

[fourthtunz]

My guess is, based on these rumors, that biggest improvement in M1X will be
- twice the I/O- bandwidth (more USB-ports, 10Gbit eth option, faster SSD + PCIv4 16x for Lifuka GPU)
- double the RAM
- 2-4 additional GPU cores.

For Mac Mini better model, 14” MBP, 16” MBP entry model and iMac 24” Entry Model.
Lifuka GPU for 16“ MBP and 24” iMac better model.

Same 5nm node, coming s

That all sounds good! What about Cpu cores? more of those as well?

 

[Zackmd1]

That all sounds good! What about Cpu cores? more of those as well?

I could see 4p core (M1 entry level) 6-8p (M1x mid level) and 8-10p (M1z high level) variants.

iGPU would likely top out at 12-16 cores which would be were that dGPU would come into play for upper level modes.

M1 for Macbook air and entry 13/mini, M1x for MBP 14-16/24" iMac with upper models of the 16 and iMac getting the dGPU, and M1z for 27"+ iMac and Mac pro.