2022 will go down in history as the year Apple completes the transition from Macs to its own chips. We explain what to expect.

by André Martin (translated by Alba Mora)

Content

We start with a clarification: the information we include in this article has not been confirmed by Apple. They are, without exception, rumors that reach us from "well-informed circles", which also coincide with our own predictions.

But even with this in mind, we invite you to take a look at our crystal ball. It will be worth it!

Gigantic CPUs: M1 Duo and Quadra

Before we go into more detail about what we can expect from the Macs that have yet to make the transition, we should take a look at the current situation of Apple silicon. So far, there are three chips: M1, M1 Pro and M1 Max.

They are all manufactured by TSMC using the 5nm process. The microarchitecture of the ARM cores is based on the A14, which Apple introduced with the iPhone 12 at the end of 2020.

Apple's M1 series is rumored to expand into two- and quad-models in 2022. Apple may revive the "Quadra" name. That would remind us of the Quadra Macs, which had Motorola's 68040 chips and were released in 1991.

It is believed that two or four M1 Max chips could be included with little or no change. The result would be CPUs from 20 to 40 cores and GPUs from 64 to 128 cores. The square version would come with a shared memory of up to 256 GB. A beast!

However, performance is not guaranteed to double or quadruple because individual chips cannot communicate with each other as quickly as the cores on individual chips. A hyper-fast bus system is needed to pass information from one CPU to another offering the lowest possible latency.

But that is precisely what is to come, as TSCM has announced "3DFabric" technology, with which individual chips can be stacked in three dimensions. A silicon interposer, a layer between the chips, establishes the connection between the CPUs. If that works, it would be the solution Apple needs to combine multiple M1 Max chips.

M2, the next generation of Apple Silicon

The next generation of the M1 chips is likely to be called the M2 and is expected to be used in lower-end Macs such as the MacBook Air. In this regard, there are several options.

For one, Apple could update the microarchitecture of the M2's CPU cores based on the A15. They already exist, they are a little faster and more efficient than those of the A14. By various estimates, that would have to improve performance by 15%.

TSMC will also manufacture the M2 using an improved 5nm process called "N4P", which should allow the transistor density to be 6% higher. Apple could use it to integrate CPUs with up to 10 cores in the base model of the M2, two more than the current M1. This should help improve performance further. More GPU cores could also be coming.

The 3nm process, which helps make the move to higher transistor density smoother, is not expected to arrive until 2023.

However, Apple could also use the ARM V9 architecture announced by ARM for 2022, which should bring 30% more performance. ARM also wants to bring improvements in machine learning and faster vector commands (SVE2).

Apple is more likely to go for the ARM V9 with the A16, which should arrive with the iPhone 14. It shouldn't arrive until September 2022, so it's unlikely Macs will have it before then.

The M2 Pro and M2 Max models should also arrive, but surely not before 2023.

27-inch iMac with Duo M1 Max

It looks like the first Mac to arrive in 2022 will be an iMac. After Apple introduced the 24-inch iMac in spring 2021, there's still we're waiting for the larger iMac to upgrade.

It has recently been rumored that Apple will keep the 27" screen in the new iMac, which is disappointing. However, that panel should arrive with 120Hz ProMotion technology and miniLED backlighting, which will still be a big step forward.

And what about the notch? Well, surely not. The display bezels on the 24" iMac are large enough to hide the camera, so we don't think that will be any different on the 27" model.

As with the 24-inch model, it will have a Touch ID sensor on the keyboard. Face ID on the new iMac's camera isn't expected, again somewhat disappointing.

Visually, the large iMac should resemble the 24" model, with the traditional chin under the screen. Unlike the 24", however, the stencil border should be black (instead of white) and the casing in dark gray (ie space gray). This would help distinguish it from the 24" iMac, which is not available in gray or black.

What everyone wants to know is what chip configurations Apple will offer. Entry models surely have the M1, M1 Pro and M1 Max. These chips are fast enough for ordinary office tasks and even for demanding applications like Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro, as is the case with today's MacBook Pros.

However, until March 2021, we also had the iMac Pro, which Apple offered with Intel chips and with CPUs with up to 18 cores, 128GB RAM and the fast AMD Vega graphics card.

Although Apple has discontinued the iMac Pro, this device outperforms the M1 Max chip in the MacBook Pro in several departments. Surely Apple will want to offer an iMac with Apple Silicon that surpasses the iMac Pro with Intel.

The solution? The M1 Duo that we talked about before. It will have up to 20 CPU cores, 64 GPU cores, and up to 128GB of RAM. Such a team will be able to compete without problems with the old iMac Pro with Intel.

However, a Quadra model with four M1 Max chips might not make it to the 27" iMac right away. The reason: Hector Martin, a Linux developer currently working on the Linux port for Apple's M1 Macs, has found several clues in macOS Monterey that suggest there will be a chip that will plug into two M1 SoCs.

However, quad chips are not possible in this way, suggesting that will only come when macOS 13 does as well in 2022. So it looks like the Duo version will arrive in the iMac model it replaces to the iMac Pro.

However, CPU binning would also allow for finer gradations, for example with 16 CPU cores and/or 48 GPU cores. Also, such an iMac should offer quite a few more Thunderbolt ports. At least four, but they could have up to six ports.

When will the iMac arrive with new chips?

MacBook Air with a new design

Apple's most popular Mac is the MacBook Air. Although Apple doesn't break out sales figures for each model, the most affordable laptop is probably the best-selling Mac by far. That is precisely why there will be a completely new MacBook Air in 2022.

A brand new interior and design are expected to arrive immediately. Apple may even change its name to just "MacBook," without the "Air" suffix. It is a rumor that is also circulating.

But what most leakers are certain is that a new design is coming, based on the current 24" iMac. For the first time since the original 1999 iBook, color is back. There will also be a white keyboard and white screen borders.

There has been talk about the arrival of a notch as in the current 14 "and 16" MacBook Pro. However, the notch is much easier to hide if you have a black screen border than with a white one. Therefore, we do not think that Apple will introduce the notch in the MacBook Air.

That's especially so since the screen size is supposed to remain 13" and miniLED and ProMotion (120Hz) technologies are clearly too expensive for the entry-level MacBook. The borders around the screen will remain slightly thicker than the MacBook Pro, so the notch is not necessary.

The good news is that the case itself will be drastically thinner. The rendered images show that it is thick enough to fit a normal 3.5mm port for the headphone jack. If so, it would be extremely thin! There will be two USB 4 ports and Apple's new MagSafe 3 magnetic charging port is also coming to the MacBook Air.

In addition, the MacBook Air won't need a fan and will likely come equipped with the base model of the new M2 chip. It will also have an improved camera which, like the MacBook Pro models, should offer 1080p quality.

There are several questions about the ports. What does seem to be certain is that there will be no HDMI port or SD card slot. These will be reserved for the Pro models. Some leakers continue to claim that there will only be one Thunderbolt port on the MacBook Air, while others say there will be two, but both only work on the USB-C standard and do not support the Thunderbolt protocol at all. .

The latter seems unlikely to us because Thunderbolt controllers are, after all, directly integrated into all M chips so far and we don't think Apple is going to remove them from their catalog. A special low-end M2 without a Thunderbolt controller would again go against Apple's desire to design chips that are as uniform as possible and don't differ much in the components used.

The question remains the same: when will it arrive? The first rumors suggested that the MacBook Air with M2 would arrive in mid-2022, that is, for WWDC. But now there are signs that the market launch is likely to be delayed. It seems more likely that it will arrive in Q4 2022, presumably at a special event in October.

And one more fact: the current MacBook Air with the M1 chip would remain unchanged as a basic model, which would cost around €1,000.

When will the MacBook Air arrive with new chips?

Two new Mac minis

In 2022, there will be changes to the Mac mini series as well. At least one model will be introduced, as the most expensive Mac mini Apple currently has for sale is still based on a six-core Intel chip.

A higher-end model with an M1 Pro chip is likely to arrive. A version with an M1 Max processor could even arrive, although some analysts say cooling issues could occur.

In any case, it is certain that even the M1 Pro will clearly outperform Intel's previous Mac mini. However, it also has its disadvantages, because it will no longer be possible to upgrade the RAM of the new Mac mini at home. This is still possible with the version with an Intel processor.

In addition, Apple could go back to using external power supplies for the Mac mini, as is currently the case with the 24" iMac. The Ethernet port may be relocated to the power supply, but Apple will have to offer a version with 10 Gigabit Ethernet, since the Mac with Intel can already do it (optionally).

Otherwise, there will probably be three Thunderbolt and four USB ports, two of them USB-C and two USB-A. It is also certain that HDMI will return. The same goes for the 3.5mm headphone jack, which will likely have automatic impedance detection, like on the 14" and 16" MacBook Pro models.

There are discrepancies in its possible price. Some say the high-end Mac mini could cost $200 to $300 more. We think that would translate to €1,400 or €1,500 in Spain. Even so, it would be the cheapest Mac with an M1 Pro chip.

The new high-end Mac mini will likely arrive alongside the 27" iMac in the first quarter of 2022. It may even be released a little earlier and without a special event.

On the other hand, a Mac mini could arrive with a new, flatter design, with a plexiglass top, possibly in different colors. Hopefully this will arrive with the new M2 Macs we mentioned earlier.

When will the Mac mini arrive with new chips?

MacBook Pro with M2

If you look at Apple's current lineup of laptops, you'll notice a significant price difference between the MacBook 13" Pro with M1 chip and the 14" MacBook Pro. The 13-inch model starts at €1,449 and the entry-level 14-inch model costs €2,249, which is a difference of €800 (that can buy you a Mac mini!).

There might even be room for another model, and in fact, there are rumors pointing to a new 14-inch model with a lower price and simpler specifications. This Mac is said to have the M2 chip with eight CPU cores and nine GPU and that it would be equipped with a miniLED screen with 120 Hz ProMotion technology. And yes, it would have a notch!

It wouldn't have all the ports of the other 14" models. You'll probably have to do without an HDMI port and a Thunderbolt port. Price-wise, this 14" model should be around €1,800 and close as well the difference with the 13" model.

It must be said, however, that we think this is unlikely. Those who want to upgrade the 13-inch MacBook Pro's specs can already do so by opting to configure their own model with, say, 16GB unified memory and a 1TB SSD, which costs €213.

We think the 13" MacBook Pro is more likely to stick around and get the M2 chips. This model may drop the "Pro" name and become the 13" MacBook.

The new MacBook Pro with M2 should not hit the market until the end of 2022, if we think about the more than likely delays in the production of the M2 chips, perhaps Apple will present it at the same time as the new MacBook models Air.

When will the MacBook Pro arrive with new chips?

Hyper-fast Mac Pro

The Mac Pro, Apple's fastest and most expensive Mac, will be the last link in the chain of transition to Apple chips. It's not hard to see why, as today's Intel-based Mac Pro offers extreme performance. You have to beat 28 CPU cores, two powerful AMD graphics cards, special accelerator boards for Apple's ProRes video encoder, and last but not least, up to 1.5TB of RAM. It will not be easy!

But with the possibility of connecting multiple M1 Max chips together, the goal seems achievable. In this case, however, only a quad M1 Max will do, that is, four SoCs in a single case. This would mean a maximum of 40 ARM CPU cores and a whopping 128 GPU cores. A computer monster par excellence.

However, such a Mac Pro should consume much less power, generate less waste heat, and therefore require smaller or fewer fans. This means that the entire system would fit in a smaller case. Initial rumors pointed to a cube-shaped design based on the Power Mac G4 Cube, but now it seems that this will not be the case. Its appearance will continue to be based on that of the current Mac Pro, only a little smaller.

There will be no more dedicated graphics cards because the many GPUs in the M1 Max are fast enough to outperform previous AMD cards. The unified memory architecture of the M1 chips is largely responsible for this, as GPUs can access all of the RAM on an equal footing with the CPU.

However, PCI slots will still be available, and there could be four or even six. However, they will only be compatible with special audio and IO cards so that professional users can continue working with their usual hardware in the sound studio or video editing station. On the other hand, double-width PCI cards no longer fit and this mainly affects high-end graphics cards.

It will also not be possible to swap CPUs. So you have to decide at the time of purchase how much power you are going to need. A basic model with 20 CPU cores and 48 GPU cores is also being studied. This should be achievable by chip binning.

As for memory: four times 64 GB of RAM results in a maximum of 256 GB of RAM. That's a huge amount, but it's still a long way from the 1.5TB that the current Mac Pro offers at its highest configuration in several years. Let's face it: there are very few use cases that actually need this amount of memory, but if Apple wants to outperform the previous Mac Pro in all areas, this goes for RAM as well.

Rumors suggest that Apple will offer external memory banks in the Mac Pro, in addition to the chip's unified internal memory, which can be populated with up to 1TB of RAM. This memory would be significantly slower than unified memory, but would still be faster than if applications had to swap memory to the SSD.

By manufacturing all of its components, the new Mac Pro should be noticeably cheaper than the current model. Depending on the configuration, it will cost between €5,000 and €8,000.

The new Mac Pro will likely be announced in late 2022, but isn't expected to be in stores until 2023.

When will the Mac Pro arrive with new chips?

New external monitor

Apple will also launch a new external display in 2022. The 32" Pro Display XDR monitor (in diagonal) with 6K resolution will be joined by another 27" with miniLED backlighting and 120Hz ProMotion technology. It is said to be the same 5K display that will be used in the new 27" iMac.

Price-wise, it should be well below €5,500 for the Pro Display XDR. Rumors point to 1,000 euros, including support!

Conclusion

2022 will be the year of decisions. Will Apple be able to achieve the goal it has set for itself and complete the transition of all Macs to Apple Silicon chips? Chances are, at the very least, we'll see a large iMac, a high-end Mac mini, and a new MacBook Air.

Apple seems to be preparing overall for a two-year "tick-tock" strategy. First comes a new CPU architecture for entry-level Macs (2020: M1) and the following year the professional variants of it (2021: M1 Pro/Max, etc.). Therefore, in 2022 it will undoubtedly be the turn of the M2 architecture.

What an exciting future!

Original article published in Macwelt.