Apple's M2 chip has hit the scene and is already showcasing its processing power in the new MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, but more capable M2 Pro and M2 Max silicon chips could already be on the way, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter (via 9to5Mac), Gurman states that Apple is aiming to launch new M2 Pro and M2 Max CPUs in the MacBook Pro 14- and 16-inch models by fall 2022 at the earliest. However, since these notebooks have recently seen a redesign, the only updates expected are the M2 Pro and M2 Max processors.
Gurman also notes that they could come sometime between this fall and spring 2023. The M1 Pro and M1 Max variants came nearly a year after the arrival of Apple's own M1 chip in November 2020, meaning the upgraded M2 chips would be rolling out at a much faster pace if they arrive later this year. The new M2 silicon came with the new 13-inch MacBook Pro a few months ago, so it would make sense if the new chips arrived in spring 2023.
As for what to expect from the M2 Pro and M2 Max, Gurman states they will focus more on the graphics side, making the MacBook Pro more of a powerhouse for video editing and content creation.
Gaming on MacBooks
In our MacBook Air M2 review, we learned the M2 performed great during our synthetic benchmarks. In the Geekbench 5.4 test, it scored 8,919, decimating the 6,054 premium laptop average. In the graphics department, it didn't perform as well, but still showed it could hold its own. For example, during the Sid Meier's Civilization VI benchmark, the notebook scored 40 frames per second.
As announced during WWDC 2022, Apple is looking to turn its MacBooks into more gaming-ready devices thanks to the new Metal 3 graphics API. With Resident Evil Village and No Man's Sky set to arrive on macOS, it will be interesting to see if the lineup of M2 chips offers smooth performance with high-quality textures — especially if they bring more capabilities to the graphics department.
Many believe it's time Apple gave a damn about gaming, and the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the expected M2 Pro and M2 Max could be the beginning of it all.
Gurman notes that "given the continued supply-chain challenges, it’s hard to predict exactly when these will hit store shelves.” Whatever the case, M2 Pro and M2 Max seem to be on their way. In the meantime, check out which is best for you: MacBook Air or MacBook Pro?
