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Apple's 'M2' Next-Gen Mac Chip Enters Mass Production, Expected to Debut in Redesigned MacBooks Later This Year

ChromeCloud said:
Correct. My point is that in recent years a pattern emerged with Apple skipping the A11X and A13X. It's likely Apple will skip the "A15X" as well and the M2 processor will debut in 2022 as a rebadged A16X.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if there won’t be any A-X CPUs in future. iPhones and iPads get a "regular" A CPU and the iPad Pro an M1/2/3.
 
businessnumbersmoneypeopl said:
If the processors are ready in sufficient amounts in July, why do you think they would sit on them until October? This is not a rhetorical question, maybe there's something here I haven't thought about.
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I am 100% positive no one in macrumors wil be able to answer that question,
U will get some know it all's that think they know but are always wrong,
 
bklement said:
Yes, the new one is not capable. The intel ones are configurable with 32 gb (or 64?) ram.

I am not comparing it to the original. Just like everyone did complain about minimal Air-Pro separation when they came out with m1. It's very simple.
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32gb. Ram is not the be all and end all, and unified memory is much faster and more capable in general. The chip set, whilst having less configurable ram is demonstrably faster and more capable than the predecessors- by a long way.

You’re not comparing a machine to the machine it superseded but to some other machine? That’s a bit ridiculous don’t you think?
 
thawk9455 said:
Don't understand all the, "it can't be an M2" comments. Why? Why wouldn't they have a higher Mx in the more powerful machines? Guess what, they could easily have come out with the M1 for their more entry level "base" machines, and then come out with an M2 that goes in the 16" MBP, a larger iMac, etc. They could even release an M3 (or figure out how to allow multiple CPUs) that goes in a Mac Pro, and have all three processors selling at the same time.

When it is time to upgrade the Air, Mini, base iMac, etc. they could role the M2 down to it, clock it down or turn off cores as needed, etc. and role the M3 into the upgraded higher end machines.

Their iDevices don't always get the newest processor and they sell three generations of processors at the same time in the iPhones. Want the fastest iPhone, get the 12 with an A14, OK with medium, 11 with an A13, don't need as much performance, XR with the A12. Same thing happens in the iPads, need speed, get the Pro with the M1, medium, Air with A14, just need a tablet, get the iPad with an A12.

Heck, you can buy an AppleTV with two different processors right now. 4K is now an A12, HD is A8.

There is NOTHING that says they have to have the same M version in all their computers. It doesn't have to be an M1 base machines, M1X more powerful computers and M1XXXXXX-Mostest Superest in the Mac Pro.
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The reason why is simple: pro machines need a "pro class" SOC. The M2 intended as an updated M1 (based on A15 architecture) won't be enough for pro users. It needs more cores and a way beefier GPU to satisfy the pro market.

The M2 will be "just" a better SOC for the same class of products (high-end iPad, low-end Macs).

The M1X will be instead an SOC for a completely different class of products, with less space and thermal constraints, made for users that actually need the strongest GPUs, more cores and lots of RAM.

You will not satisfy pro users just by giving them a 20% faster SOC.
 
One more thing that confirms the theory that this SOC is not the M2 but the M1X is this leak from October of last year from China Times:

apple_silicon_2.jpg


Source: Apple Silicon A14T Desktop-Class SoC Destined For Early 2021

Given the temporary names they used, my bet is that this year SOC will be called "T1". And as you can see from the leak, machines with the T1 SOC will also have a discrete "Apple GPU". This way Apple can finally address the pro market properly.

Edit: oops, I forgot about the T1 security chip inside recent Intel Macs. T1 is definitely not going to be the name of the new SOC. Maybe "M1T"?
 
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Devnul0 said:
Using a card reader doesn't require the camera to use any battery power. Ingestion can be done while the camera has another card in it and is taking more pictures. Different cameras have different USB interfaces: does it present the card like an external storage device so you can just access the files, or does it use the PTP protocol meaning you have to use software that supports PTP to import.
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Eh, battery power requirement is minimal. And most serious photographers I know are never in a situation where they dont have a fully charged spare camera battery. Why would I want to miss a shot?

Time? I suppose, if I wanted to multi-task my picture taking with my downloads, I might take the time to take cards in and out go to the computer, fuss around, and then in maybe the couple of minutes in between, shoot more pictures (I guess I am in the studio?) sure. maybe. But most of the time when I am shooting I am a) out of the studio, b) focusing on taking pictures. c) come back to the studio and download. But you know, if I am that anchored to my computer, it takes no effort to have a hub with a reader.

Transfer? Most modern full frame cameras that I know plug in directly by USB C, you turn the camera on, it shows up on the desktop like any other hard drive. PTP is legacy, just like a lot of these discussions.

So to recount, if I am too lazy to have a spare battery for proper power management, and aren't that serious about my picture taking so that I am multi-tasking, and I have an old camera that requires old protocols, and oh yeah, too lazy to have an appropriate reader, then I might find having a built in card reader for only one format (what do I do if I have the new formats?), worth giving up space/case integrity/and possibly another useful USB C port for? and oh yeah, imposing my limited use case on to millions of others that have since moved on to newer/better technology? Not to mention the number of casual camera owners that might really think this is a good thing is rapidly decreasing in favor of the cameras we all carry in our pockets that are linked to the cloud.

Sorry, still not convinced that I want an old protocol card reader breaking up my case enough to insist the 99.5% that would never use it have to have it anyway. Seems selfish.
 
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Im still enjoying my M1 mbp coming from 2013 intel version.
I can wait for M3 or end of 2022 for next update since these M chips won't be discontinued anytime soon.
 
bklement said:
It's only purpose is to push the price of the real entry imac with better chips much higher.
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Its purpose is to provide a nice all-in-one computer with a screen that is much larger than is reasonable for a laptop. It may not be for you, but it is exactly what lots of us want.

bklement said:
It would be better if Apple made the imac's display as a thunderbolt monitor without the chin, then one could use it with a macbook or mini with a single cable.
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A thunderbolt monitor would definitely be a welcome addition, but certainly not a replacement.
 
Crossing my fingers this opens the way for 32gb of RAM on a Mac mini. I'm so close to ordering one but maxing out at 16gb is holding me back.
 
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Personally I’m most excited for the complainants that the SoC doesn’t have as many cores as a Threadripper and a GPU that isn’t as powerful as a 3090.
 
LeeW said:
So many people will be disappointed they 'didn't wait' when this appears.
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Not me. I will sell my M1 MacBook Air to someone who will be absolutely thrilled with it and upgrade to the next gen. By my count, that makes at least one more person very happy that I "didn't wait"!
 
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cmaier said:
You and I apparently have very different opinions about Windows :)
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My biggest frustration with MacOS and iPadOS is Safari. It isn't equipped to handle the modern web very well. My second biggest peeve with iPadOS is crappy external monitor support. iPadOS could be great if it had a proper browser and monitor support.
 
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I'm not sure it will be called M2. I think the next entry level chip will be called that.

Remember the M1 is in all entry/low end level MacBook/iMac models, even the iPad.

I have a feeling this chip is the real "PRO" chip for high end MacBooks and larger pro iMacs and will use a differentiated naming scheme.
 
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