The central processing unit includes 12 high-performance cores, which handle demanding tasks like video editing, and four efficiency cores for less-intensive applications, such as browsing the web. Compared with the top-of-the-line version of the current M2 line for laptops, the new chip has four more high-performance CPU cores and at least two additional graphics cores. The MacBook Pro in testing also includes 48 gigabytes of memory.
The company is likely testing multiple variations and core-count options, of which this version is one…
[T]he M3 chips should be a major selling point. They’re the biggest upgrade to the processors since the Apple Silicon lineup debuted in 2020, when the company first began replacing Intel Corp. chips in the Mac… As of June of this year, the company has transitioned its entire computer line away from Intel.
The M3 chip will mark the first time Apple is shifting to a 3-nanometer production process for Mac chips, which promises to provide better battery life and strong performance gains. Apple will use a similar technology for the A17 processor launching in the iPhone 15 Pro in September.
The transition to the M3 chip will likely begin in October, starting with updates to the company’s entry-level Macs. Apple has been testing M3-based iMacs, 13-inch MacBook Pros, 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Airs, and Mac minis — all for release within the next 12 months. Updated versions of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are likely to come in 2024 with the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips.