The M5 chip, which is projected to power Apple Inc.’s AAPL upcoming MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro, has reportedly entered mass production.
What Happened: The M5 chip is now being produced at scale, with Apple reportedly utilizing new process technology to boost AI performance, according to a report by 9to5Mac.
The new chip is anticipated to deliver enhanced AI performance and possibly a redesigned structure compared to earlier M-series chips. The Vision Pro is expected to benefit the most from the M5 chip, especially with the addition of Apple Intelligence features to the spatial computer—something the current M2-powered model lacks.
The new chip is also designed to run at lower temperatures, enabling it to maintain full power for longer durations before thermal throttling takes effect.
MacRumors reported that Apple delegates the front-end manufacturing stage of chip production on silicon wafers to Taiwan Semiconductors TSM. With fabrication in progress, OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) companies, such as Taiwan’s ASE Group, Amkor Technology AMKR from the U.S. and China’s JCET manage the packaging process.
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Why It Matters: Despite struggles in AI and AR indicating a potential decline in product innovation, the introduction of the M5 chip could be a game-changer for Apple. The chip is expected to bring significant improvements in AI performance, which has been a challenge for the tech giant.
Last year, Ming-Chi Kuo reported that the MacBook Pro could see a major power boost with a new chip packaging process. The M5 Pro chip may take a different approach by separating the CPU and GPU to improve performance and increase production yields.
The M5 chip is also expected to leverage the improved 3nm N3P architecture, leading to efficiency improvements by up to 10% and a performance bump of 5%, according to Wccftech. This could help resolve the thermal throttling issue, enabling devices to run at full power for longer periods.
With the M5 chip, Apple seems to be prioritizing its tablet family, with the updated iPad Pro series expected to be the first recipient of the new chip. This move could potentially boost the performance and appeal of Apple’s tablet lineup.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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