Apple started its transition into Arm-powered MacBooks a few weeks ago. For a start, Apple introduced a MacBook Air, a 13-inch MacBook Pro, and a Mac mini. The Apple Silicon M1 that powers the new Macs have put its predecessor far behind. And now, rumors have already started circulating about the Apple Silicon M1X which will supposedly power the upcoming 16-inch MacBook Pro. In this post, we will be taking a look at all the rumors of the Apple Silicon M1X and the 16-inch MacBook Pro that it will power.
But some… uninspiring news first
As I mentioned earlier, Apple’s transition from Intel processors to its Apple Silicon will take almost two years. Yes, that’s right – Intel-powered Macs will still be around. Apple will still launch new Macs with Intel processors. According to recent rumors, Apple will launch a 16-inch MacBook Pro in the first three months of 2021.
Apple M1X:
-12 Cores.
– 8 performance cores.
– 4 high efficiency cores.
– Coming first on a MacBook Pro
16” unveiling as a press release.– According to a source who used a prototype, “if you think M1 is fast, you haven’t seen M1X”.
-Name isn’t final though. pic.twitter.com/tpBhXpDCad
— LeaksApplePro (@LeaksApplePro) November 22, 2020
The original leak by Apple News stated that the launch will take place on March 16. However, if LeaksApplePro is to be believed, the launch will take place in the first two months. He has also added that the 16-inch Intel MacBook Pro will be for developers and that regular users should avoid it altogether. This Intel-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro will be a mere refresh and come with AMD GPU. Similarly, there won’t be any significant changes in the design.
M1X – The next Apple Silicon for Macs
Let’s talk about Apple’s second Arm-based chip for its Macs. Though we are calling it the Apple Silicone M1X for this post, it might not be the case when it’s official. LeaksApplePro, who initially talked about this chip has stated that the name has not been finalized. But what’s in the name, anyway?
The new chip is expected to feature a total of 12 cores. Eight of them will be performance cores while the rest will be efficiency cores. To compare, the M1 features an octa-core architecture with four high-performance cores and an equal number of efficiency cores. Even with eight cores, it has outperformed Intel processors in the last-generation 16-inch MacBook Pro. Thus, people have high expectations with the M1X chip. And it is not just about performance. In addition to the added performance, the M1 in the 13-inch MacBook Pro resulted in two times the battery endurance. Can Apple pull this off with the 16-inch MacBook Pro? We just have to wait.
Arm-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro
According to the LeaksApplePro, the launch of the Arm-based 16-inch MacBook Pro will take place after that of the Intel refresh. While the information on this upcoming MacBook is scarce, the leak suggests that it will have smaller bezels. Just last week, Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable Apple analyst, had suggested that the new Arm-based MacBook Pro will have to feature a new design.
16-inch MacBook Pro (Apple Silicon M1X) Availability
If we were to believe Ming-Chi Kuo, the new Apple Silicon M1X-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro will be available in the second half of 2021. However, LeaksApple Pro has given a more particular date: June 1st. However, it’s all rumors for now so take the info with a grain of salt.
| Apple MacBook Model | Availability (Expected) |
| 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1X | 2021 |
- Watch our review of the Acer Swift 3 2020 (Intel).
