If you’re in the market for a new Mac, you may want to hold off just a couple more months.
Faster M3 chips are just around the corner and having previously predicted that three computers packing it will debut in October, Bloomberg has now seen evidence of Apple testing a possible fourth.
In the latest issue of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says that the Mac Apple is testing packs an 8-core CPU alongside a 10-core GPU and a slightly unnecessary 24GB RAM. “Given the M3 chip’s specifications in this particular Mac, I believe it probably represents a next-generation Mac mini,” Gurman writes.
This is just the entry-level version of the CPU — albeit souped up with more RAM than most people know what to do with. The M3 Pro version will beat the M2 Pro by hitting 12 CPU cores and 18 GPU cores, Gurman writes, and a hypothetical M3 Max could reach 14 of the former and 40 of the latter if you have a bank balance that can take the severe strain.
All of them could get a significant speed and efficiency boost over their predecessor, given the M3 chipset is being built to the 3nm fabrication process where more transistors can be packed in.
In all, Apple is said to be working on seven different M3-powered Macs, according to the site: two MacBook Airs (13in and 15in), three MacBook Pro (13in, 14in and 16in — the latter two with M3 Pro and M3 Max configurations), an M3 iMac and this possible Mac mini.
So something for everyone, though Bloomberg has only predicted that the 13in laptops and 24in iMac are nailed on for a possible October event so far.
Speaking of Apple events, Gurman also revealed another likely date for the diary. He predicts that Apple’s annual iPhone and Apple Watch jamboree will this year fall on September 12 or 13, with the phones and wearables going on sale on the 22nd.
So much for that possible delay, then. Analysts: what do they know?
