Apple is set to announce a new range of Mac chips—M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max—along with a transition to advanced 3-nanometer production technology, reports Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his Sunday PowerOn newsletter.
The special event set for Monday evening will also feature major updates to high-end MacBook Pros and the first iMac refresh since the spring of 2021.
The M3 chip line is expected to offer significant improvements over the M2, with enhanced speeds and better energy efficiency.
The M3 central processing unit (CPU) will have eight cores, four for high-performance tasks and four for efficiency, and up to 10 cores for graphics processing.
The M3 Pro has been tested with configurations including 12 CPU cores and 18 graphics cores, while higher-end versions may feature 14 CPU cores and 20 graphics cores. The M3 Max is expected to have configurations with up to 16 CPU cores and 40 graphics cores.
The announcement is notable for Apple, as it marks a shift to 3-nanometer technology, a feat other manufacturers have struggled to achieve. The M3 chips will be announced just 16 months after the M2, indicating an accelerated development cycle for Apple’s chip generations.
The iMac, which currently runs on the M1 chip, is also slated for an update. The new version aims to reestablish the iMac’s prominence in Apple’s product lineup, especially as the model celebrates its 25th anniversary.
While the event may not garner as much attention as iPhone or Apple Watch launches, it is expected to focus on deeply technical aspects of chip speeds and capabilities. The event will only be streamed online on Apple’s website and YouTube and no in-person demos are slated, suggesting it’s not worthy of a huge gathering. But you can bet there are hands-on and review embargoes already in the works with reviewers on YouTube and more.
Apple’s Mac event kicks off on Monday at 5pm PT/8pm ET, a rare evening event. We’ll have full coverage so stay tuned for updates.
