Insider: M5 for MacBook Pro will be released before iPad Pro
Apple plans to release the new M5 chip for MacBook Pro this autumn, and iPad Pro will receive the new chip only in the first half of 2026.
Here's What We Know
Earlier, Apple was expected to update the chips in the iPad Pro and then in the MacBook Pro. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, last year, the M4 chip was first introduced in the iPad Pro in May 2024, and then in the MacBook Pro in October. Now, Apple is changing its approach.
Before the launch of MacBook Pro models with the M5 chip, Apple will update Mac Studio and Mac Pro using the current M4 chip series. The updated models of these computers may be presented at the annual WWDC developer conference in June 2025.
The M5 series chips are expected to feature an improved ARM architecture and will be manufactured using TSMC's advanced 3nm technology. Apple decided not to use the even more advanced 2-nm technology due to economic considerations. However, the high-end versions of the M5 chip still promise significant improvements over the M4 thanks to the use of TSMC's SoIC (System on Integrated Chip) technology.
This 3D approach to chip stacking helps improve cooling and reduces power loss compared to traditional 2D designs.
Apple is expected to expand its cooperation with TSMC, in particular, to develop the next generation of hybrid SoIC packaging technologies that also include the use of thermoplastic carbon fibres. In addition, the M5 chip will be used in Apple's AI servers to enhance artificial intelligence capabilities on both consumer devices and cloud services.
Source: Bloomberg
