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A questionable report claims that Apple's next-generation MacBook Pro models will feature an "M1X" chip and the "MacBook Pro" logo below the display will be removed.
The report A report by 9to5Mac states that "a source with a decent track record" made these claims. According to the source, "Apple's planned name for the MacBook Pro chips" is the "M1X."
The M1X is an extension of the M1 that will include more Thunderbolt channels, CPU cores, GPU cores, support for multiple external monitors, and higher power consumption. These devices will both have a 1080p webcam, an SD card reader, three Thunderbolt USB-C ports, an updated MagSafe connector, and an HDMI port.
MacBook Pro 2021: Gurman left chip branding open
9to5Mac explains that this rumor from their source is consistent with the recent report from reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman about the new MacBook Pro models. However, upon closer inspection, this doesn't seem to be the case. Earlier this week, Gurman explained that the upcoming 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will feature a new Apple Silicon chip, including a 10-core CPU with eight high-performance cores and two energy-efficient cores, 16-core or 32-core GPU options, support for up to 64GB of RAM, and support for additional Thunderbolt ports. Gurman hasn't commented on how the new MacBook Pro chip will be branded. However, given what he explained in the report, it seems highly unlikely that it will be an "M1X."
Gurman: “New chips differ from the M1 design”
The key detail Gurman mentioned was that the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro and a high-end version of the MacBook Air will also receive a new Apple Silicon chip. This chip "will contain the same number of processing cores as the M1 but run faster. It will also increase the number of graphics cores from seven or eight to nine or 10." This means that two next-generation Apple Silicon chips are in the works for MacBooks: one for the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro and the high-end MacBook Air, and one for the redesigned 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. According to Gurman, the high-end chip for the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models is significantly different from the M1, which is why it doesn't seem right to call it an "M1X." Gurman himself finally said that the "new chips are different from the M1 design." The report is further questioned by speculation about the “M2” chip:
Apple is said to have reserved the M2 name for next year's chips and that it will likely debut in a new MacBook Air.
The whole thing should be viewed very skeptically
It seems unlikely that Apple would refer to its high-end chip, which differs from the M1's design, as the "M1X," while referring to another, less powerful chip, a direct successor to the M1 and based on its design, as the "M2." Given these two questionable claims, the credibility of the rest of the report is questionable. The claim that the MacBook Pro will drop the front logo has been circulating on Twitter in recent days, including a hint from leaker Jon Prosser, so it may simply be an echo of that speculation. All other claims about the processor and the redesigned MacBook Pro devices in the report, such as additional Thunderbolt ports, SD card readers, and HDMI ports, have been made previously by reliable sources such as Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Accordingly, the current report should definitely be viewed with great skepticism. (Photo by Ekaterina79 / Bigstockphoto)
