The latest reports suggest that TSMC’s next-generation 3nm process, N3, will be responsible for Apple’s M2 Pro and M2 Max. Apple has apparently placed a large order with the Taiwanese chip supplier, suggesting that the Cupertino tech giant will be paying its partner huge sums of money to secure the first 3nm wafers.
The news comes from Commercial Times, and the N3 process means the new MacBook Pro will get better performance and higher efficiency than the previously rumored 5nm process.
On top of that, the report says the M2 Pro, codenamed Rhodes Chop, will have a 10-core CPU and 20-core GPU. The M2 Max will be the more powerful of the two, codenamed Rhodes 1C, and is said to have up to a 12-core CPU and 38-core GPU.
As for the M2 Ultra and M2 Extreme, TSMC is said to be scrambling to fulfill Apple’s orders. The M2 Ultra, codenamed Rhodes 2C, is said to have double the number of CPU and GPU cores compared to the M2 Max.
The M2 Extreme is probably Apple’s most powerful custom chip to date and is likely to appear in the company’s Mac Pro. It should come in two configurations, one with a 24-core CPU and 76-core GPU, with the high-end configuration boasting up to 48 CPU cores and 152 GPU cores. Given the difficulties associated with manufacturing 3nm wafers, TSMC is likely to face many challenges in fulfilling its orders. This uphill battle may mean that the M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro models will not be available to customers in large numbers.
