Mere months after the introduction of the company’s newest chip, the M1 Ultra, a new report from Bloomberg reveals Apple is already testing a second-generation M2 chip in at least nine new Macs.
Four chips —
The new chip will reportedly come in four different varieties (presumably matching the M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra) starting with an M2 chip that has eight CPU cores and 10 graphics cores which is be being tested in a new Macbook Air.
The same chip is being used in tests with and entry-level Macbook Pro and a Mac Mini. Higher-end Pro and Max chips are being used in another Mac Mini and new 14-inch and 16-inch Macbook Pros. The M2 Max version of the chip in testing could come with as many as 12 CPU cores, 38 graphics cores, and 64GB of memory, according to developer logs viewed by Bloomberg.
A successor to the M1 Ultra is being put through its paces in a Mac Pro, though it’ll likely release even further off considering we haven’t even seen how Apple plans on handling the Mac Pro’s transition from Intel chips to custom, in-house silicon yet.
Air and Pro —
So far the M2 lineup sounds like a natural follow-up to the M1, bumping up the number of cores — up from eight graphics cores on the Air, for example — for an even more powerful chip.
It seems unusual that the entry-level MacBook Pro is still in the mix considering the popular reception of Apple’s new MacBook Pros received in 2021, but it does line up with previous reports from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
The new MacBook Air has been hotly contested as well, at multiple points rumored to feature either a new M2 chip or an older M1, along with a new, thinner design. Today’s report seems to suggest Apple is opting for its new chips, which is great for anyone who waited to upgrade.
Given the number of new devices Apple needs to introduce we should know more soon. WWDC 2022 starts on June 6, and Bloomberg reports a new MacBook Air, entry-level MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini should be ready to ship by the middle of 2022, with other Pro devices to follow later this year.
