Apple’s M3 To Share Similar CPU, GPU Core Count As M2, 15-Inch MacBook Air Reportedly Launching With Cutting-Edge Silicon

There is positive news surrounding Apple’s first 3nm chipset, the M3, as various Macs will be sporting the new part, including the 15-inch MacBook Air. A new report states that in terms of CPU and GPU core counts, there might not be ample differentiation between it and the M2.

The M3 will be found in the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, but the launch is expected to happen in 2024

Apple’s M2 can be topped up with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, with this particular variant found in the base model of the 15-inch MacBook Air. It should be noted that an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU variant is also present, and it is available with the smaller and cheaper 13-inch MacBook Air, and unsurprisingly, we had previously talked about how both models would be updated with the M3 in due time.

In Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter that MacRumors spotted, the Bloomberg reporter stated that while the M3 would bring improvements in the performance and power-efficiency categories compared to the M2, Apple will reportedly keep the CPU and GPU cores consistent between the two. The last time we discussed the M3’s specifications, it was mentioned that the upcoming SoC would sport an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU.

Apple’s newest 15-inch MacBook Air features the company’s 5nm M2 SoC

TSMC’s 3nm N3B architecture may enable Apple to bring major improvements without having to resort to increasing the core count, though we have no way of confirming this. The exact configuration has not been shared, so we cannot comment on what other M3 variations to expect down the road. However, Gurman shared specifications of the M3 Pro, stating that one version was being tested with 12 CPU cores and 18 GPU cores, but this chipset will only be found in the pricier Macs.

Apart from the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, the iMac will also feature the M3, and it will reportedly launch next year sporting the same design as the 2020 M1 iMac. The latest revelation hints that Apple’s next SoC will not launch later this year, as it is possible that TSMC was unable to meet demand for both the A17 Bionic and M3, so Apple may have had to make a tough call. Regardless, we only have to wait a little, and we will see the launch sometime in 2024.

Written by Omar Sohail