Apple’s upcoming M5 chip is already in mass production, as reports from South Korean media indicate that the company has moved forward with the manufacturing process, signaling its next-generation silicon is nearing release. Expected to arrive in devices as soon as this year, the M5 will be the centerpiece of Apple’s 2025 and 2026 device lineup, which could include updated MacBook Pros, iPads, and the next iteration of the Vision Pro headset.
The M5 is being fabricated using TSMC’s 3nm N3P process, which offers a 5% performance improvement and a 5-10% boost in power efficiency over the M4’s 3nm N3E technology. This marks a step forward in the ongoing refinement of Apple’s chips, which are becoming increasingly powerful while also improving efficiency. Apple’s strategy to focus on performance gains, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), means the M5 is expected to deliver substantial improvements in tasks involving machine learning, with an upgraded Neural Processing Unit (NPU) being one of the key features of the new architecture.
What sets the M5 apart is its adoption of TSMC’s System-on-Integrated-Chip (SoIC) technology for the higher-end variants, including the M5 Pro and M5 Max. This new approach to packaging chips involves stacking them vertically, improving heat management and energy efficiency. The base M5 model, which will be the first to hit the market, retains the traditional 2D chip design but will still benefit from these advancements, offering significant performance improvements compared to previous iterations.
The base M5 is expected to debut in devices like the iPad Pro, with production set to ramp up in late 2025. Apple’s usual release schedule for its custom chips means we can expect the M5-powered MacBook Pro to follow shortly thereafter, potentially in late 2025 or early 2026. Devices such as the MacBook Air and updated Vision Pro headset are also likely to feature the M5 chip, benefiting from the performance enhancements across a range of Apple’s product categories.
Apple’s focus on AI capabilities with the M5 chip is not just about pushing the boundaries of performance but also about improving the user experience across its ecosystem. The increased AI power could enable smarter features in devices, especially in areas like image processing, machine learning tasks, and even augmented reality applications. These improvements are expected to have the most noticeable impact on the Vision Pro, Apple’s augmented reality headset, which currently relies on the M2 chip. With the M5, Apple aims to integrate more sophisticated AI-driven features, allowing the Vision Pro to deliver a more immersive and responsive user experience.
One of the most exciting prospects for Apple’s future devices is the possibility of the M5 Ultra chip, rumored to make its appearance in 2026. The Ultra version could follow in the footsteps of the M1 Ultra and M2 Ultra chips, offering unparalleled performance, particularly for high-end professional users who need the best in processing power. The M5 Ultra is likely to be targeted at the Mac Pro and other high-performance desktop configurations, although its release date is still uncertain.
(via ET News)
