In a couple of months, Apple is expected to unveil new MacBook Pro models during the second quarter of 2021. While there’s plenty to look forward to from these new machines, one thing, in particular, will be the new Apple Silicon powering the newer models. According to rumors, it might be called the M1X, and a leaked specs sheet shows it’s a major step-up compared to the M1 powering Apple’s current lineup.
Additional Performance of the M1X Could Be the Result of Increased TDP; Apple Reportedly Sticking to the Same 5nm Process for This Custom Silicon
According to fresh specifications shared on CPU Monkey, we should expect the M1X to be a beast of an SoC. Firstly, according to the table, the M1X will feature a 12-core CPU. Previously, even a tipster remarked that the next Apple Silicon would feature a 12-core CPU, so this could be the company’s next chip. The table shows that the 12-core part will be divided into eight Firestorm performance cores and four Icestorm power-efficiency ones.
The clock speed listed is 3.20GHz, but that’s likely for the frequency for the performance cores, as the figures for the power-efficiency ones aren’t mentioned. Next up, we have the GPU, which according to the specs, reveals that the M1X will sport 16 cores and 256 execution units. Assuming these specs are true, the M1X will have twice as many performance cores as the M1, twice the number of GPU cores, and twice the number of execution units.
It’s also possible that with a single machine featuring the M1X, users can hook up to three external monitors for maximizing their workspace real estate. Overall, these specifications show that the next Apple Silicon is a major upgrade over the M1, but at the cost of increased TDP. The table shows that to obtain this level of performance, the TDP could operate at 35W, and depending on the workload, that value could go up to 45W if required.
A higher TDP means Apple will need to use beefier coolers on its rumored 14.1-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. Even if both machines feature bigger capacities, the higher wattage of the M1X means users might not experience the same battery endurance as that witnessed on the M1 MacBook Pro and M1 MacBook Air. On the plus side, RAM support is increased to 32GB, so if you use memory-intensive applications, the new chip will serve your purpose adequately.
Sadly, there’s no way of knowing the veracity of the M1X chips. Even on the CPU Monkey page, it states that the information is of a pre-sample unit, suggesting that information will change when the new Apple Silicon is officially released. It looks like we’ll have to wait during the second quarter of 2021 for the remaining details to flow through, so stay tuned for more details from our side.
News Source: CPU Monkey
