Apple M5 Pro and M5 Max design changes

With its M4 series processors, Apple has captured attention and is now gearing up for the launch of the M5 series next year. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared intriguing details today about the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

The next-generation M5 chips promise groundbreaking changes, especially in the design of the CPU and GPU. Here are the first insights into the M5 series.

A New Era on the Horizon?

The hallmark of Apple's M series chips has been its System-on-a-Chip (SoC) design, which integrates all components into a single package. However, rumors suggest that the M5 series may deviate from this approach. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple plans to adopt TSMC's SoIC-MH (System-on-Integrated-Chips-Molding-Horizontal) technology for its M5 Pro, M5 Max, and M5 Ultra models.

This packaging method takes up 30-50% less space compared to traditional SoC designs while improving thermal performance, allowing chips to sustain peak performance longer without throttling. Additionally, the M5 processors will be produced using TSMC's N3P manufacturing process.

This process delivers 5-10% lower power consumption and up to 5% performance gains compared to the N3E technology used in the M4 series. Moreover, M5 chips will feature separate designs for the CPU and GPU, although further details remain unclear until 2025.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, production of M5 Pro and M5 Max models is expected to begin in the second half of 2025, with initial implementation in MacBook Pro models. The M5 Ultra, on the other hand, is anticipated to debut in 2026.