Apple may have only just told us about the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro 2023, complete with the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, but there’s already word about what could be coming next. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a brand new rumor, we may see MacBook Pros sporting the M3 Pro and M3 Max as early as mid-2024.
That’s according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who predicts the new MacBook Pros will go into mass production in the first half of 2024. Presumably the machines would be announced shortly afterwards, as was seemingly the case with the newly announced 2023 MacBook Pros.
(1/2)I expect the next new MacBook Pro models, which will adopt M3 Pro/M3 Max processors made by 3nm (likely TSMC's N3P or N3S), will go to mass production in 1H24. https://t.co/8JR4LOHFVsJanuary 17, 2023
Kuo predicted the latest MacBook Pros would go into mass production in Q4 2022, and Apple announced both models earlier this week. They’re available for pre-order right now, and will be officially released on January 24.
It’s too early to say what the next generation of MacBook Pros might include, or what sort of upgrades we can expect from the M3 Max and M3 Pro. After all, we haven't had the chance to put the new M2 chips through their paces yet, and see how they compare to their predecessors in the M1 range.
All Kuo says is that the M3 Pro and M3 Max will be next-generation 3-nanomater chips, compared to the 5nm chips in the M1 and M2 range. TSMC, the company that makes chips for iPhones, has already promised that its own 3nm chips will offer a 35% improvement in efficiency and an unspecified boost to performance. It stands to reason that similar kinds of upgrades would also be available on MacBooks.
We’d also hope to see some more major upgrades in the 2024 MacBook Pros. The 2023 models are near-identical to those introduced back in 2021, with the only major change being the new M2 Pro and Max chips. Three years might be enough to warrant a more substantive refresh, especially if it means shrinking down the notch in the center of the screen.
Apple claims the M2 Pro and M2 Max offer 20% better performance compared to their M1 counterparts, alongside 30% better graphics performance. So there’s definitely improvement, though we haven’t had a chance to test Apple’s claims for ourselves. More on that in the coming days, as we inch closer to release day.
It’s still very early days for the 2024 MacBook Pro rumors, and things could easily change over the next few months. So watch this space, and we’ll bring you all the latest news and updates when we hear them.
