New MacBook Pro and MacBook Air will launch next week with Apple Silicon (report)

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A refreshed 16-inch MacBook Pro could also debut next week or in the coming months

MacBook Pro
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

Three new MacBooks are expected to debut next week at Apple's "One more thing" launch event. This won't be just any laptop reveal, it will mark the introduction of Apple's custom ARM-based chips, or what it calls Apple Silicon. 

We knew this was coming but had been left to guess which laptops Apple would first reveal. We now have a good idea. According to Bloomberg, Apple is set to launch a new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro — that is, the company is overhauling its entire lineup. 

We'd previously heard that the 16-inch MacBook Pro could be refreshed with new Intel chips, however, this newest report says it will also make the switch to Apple Silicon along with the two other models. Bloomberg does caution that "at least" the two smaller models would be shown at the Apple event, leaving open the possibility that the 16-inch model won't be revealed until later in the year or in 2021. 

The report says the new laptops won't receive any significant design updates, so the main highlight is the A14 Bionic chip powering these machines. If that sounds familiar, it's because the A14 is the same processor powering the iPhone 12 and iPad Air. These 5-nanometer chips will be supercharged for laptops and, according to Apple, will deliver "industry-leading" performance-per-watt, higher-performance GPUs and improved power efficiency. 

These new MacBooks aren't the only systems set to be armed with Apple Silicon. The company is also rumored to be working on an iMac and Mac Pro with ARM-based chips. We probably won't see these next week, but they could arrive in the coming months. 

Apple's MacBook event is set for Tuesday, November 10 at 10am PT or 1pm ET. We will bring you all the latest news from the virtual event next week. 

Phillip Tracy
Phillip Tracy

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.