Above: M1 Pro logic board with larger heatsink. Bottom: Smaller heatsink on the M2 Pro logic board (Source: iFixit)

iFixit and Max Tech note that the revised thermal architecture of the new MacBook Pro appears to be a result of the reduced overall footprint of the M2 Pro and M2 Max SoCs in the device. the M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro contain two large memory modules, but the M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro use The M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro contain two large memory modules, but the M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro use four thinner memory modules. Although the M2 Pro and M2 Max dies are physically larger than the M1 Pro and M1 Max dies, the SoC as a whole takes up less space.

Left: M1 Pro SoC; Right: M2 Pro SoC (Source: iFixit)

This means that the M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro models do not require as large a heat sink as their predecessors. It’s unclear if this will significantly affect thermal efficiency.

The reason for using four smaller memory modules appears to be a supply chain issue. The entire SoC is mounted on a single substrate, so four smaller modules allow Apple to use a smaller substrate, saving material and reducing complexity.

According to Dylan Patel, principal analyst at SemiAnalysis, “At the time Apple was designing, ABF substrates were in short supply. By using four smaller modules instead of two larger ones, they were able to reduce the complexity of routing from memory to SoC within the substrate, allowing for fewer layers on the substrate. This allowed them to further expand their limited substrate supply.”

The M2 Pro and M2 Max offer a 20 percent increase in CPU performance and a 30 percent increase in GPU performance over their predecessors, but as the new chips continue to be based on TSMC’s 5nm process, some users have pointed out that Apple may have sacrificed heat dissipation to improve performance.

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10-core M2 Pro score

12-core M2 Pro score

Geekbench data shows that the 10-core M2 Pro has 6 large + 4 small cores and the 12-core M2 Pro has 8 large + 4 small cores. Both processors have a single-core score of 1956, while the multi-core score is about 12,100 for the 10-core M2 Pro and 15,000 for the 12-core M2 Pro, with a 24% gap between the two.

10-core M1 Pro score

For comparison, the previous generation M1 Pro is also available in a 10-core version, but with 8 large + 2 small cores. In terms of multi-core scores, the latest 10-core M2 Pro is basically the same as the 10-core M1 Pro. In terms of single-core scores, the M2 Pro has an 11% improvement over the M1 Pro.

The M2 Pro chip delivers 200GB/s of unified memory bandwidth, two times that of the M2 chip, and up to 32GB of low-latency unified memory.

In terms of performance, Apple says the next-generation 10- or 12-core CPU includes up to eight high-performance cores and four power-efficient cores, making it up to 20 percent faster at multithreading than the M1 Pro chip’s 10-core CPU. Apps like Adobe Photoshop are faster when processing high-intensity workflows, and Xcode compiles up to 2.5 times faster than the MacBook Pro with the fastest Intel processors.

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Geekbench running scores show that the Mac mini with M2 Pro and 16GB of unified memory has a single-core score of 1952 and a multi-core score of 15013. This is also the first Geekbench score for Apple’s M2 Pro chip.

For comparison, the previous M1 Mac mini has a single-core score of 1651 and a multi-core score of 5181 (the Apple M1 single-core score is about 1700 points, and the multi-core score is about 7000 points). The M1 Pro in the previous-generation 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros scored 1734 single-core and 10076 multi-core.

Additionally, the M1 Max scored 1727 in single-core and 12643 in multi-core. This also means that the M2 Pro surpassed the M1 Max in terms of Geekbench running scores.

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Apple released a short video following the launch of the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini that included the word 2022 in the filename, suggesting that the video may have originally been scheduled to premiere last year.

Some speculate that the 18-minute video was taken from a major event Apple plans to hold in October or November 2022 that will include not only the new M2 Pro and M2 Max Mac products, but other new products as well. In addition, AR files of the new MacBook Pro were created in October 2022.

Apple generally hosts an event in September each fall to announce its latest iPhone and Apple Watch. In the run-up to fall 2022, a growing number of rumors suggest that Apple plans to hold two events between September and December: one for the iPhone and Apple Watch, and another for the Mac and iPad.

However, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman later claimed that Apple canceled its plans for a second fall event and instead released the remainder of its 2022 products via a press release on its website. We’ll see what happens after that, as in October 2022, Apple announced an iPad Pro with an M2 chip and a redesigned 10th-generation entry-level iPad via a press release.

Now it appears that the Mac and iPad launches for the second half of 2022 have indeed been canceled and the products are being split up for press releases.

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Will Apple replace or kill the Intel-based Mac Mini?

At last year’s WWDC conference, Apple introduced the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with the M2 chip, but made no mention of the Mac Mini at all. Apple’s failure to update the Mac mini either shows that Apple doesn’t see it as a priority, or that it’s preparing something different with the Mac mini.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in April 2022 that Apple was testing a Mac mini with an M1 Pro processor code-named J374, as well as an M1 Max Mac mini.

Gurman also said that Apple is testing an M2 Mac mini, code-named J473, with eight CPU cores and 10 GPU cores (matching the chip Apple unveiled at WWDC), and a Mac mini, code-named J474, with Mac mini with the M2 Pro chip.

In this regard, MacWorld predicts that Apple will launch two models in 2023. The M2 chip will replace the existing M1 chip model, and the M2 Pro model will replace the existing Intel model.

M2 Pro Mac mini release date

In the June 2022 Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple will soon launch Mac mini models with M2 and M2 Pro chips.

“Apple will launch a more powerful Mac mini and high-end MacBook Pro later this year, with more models to follow between fall 2022 and the first half of 2023,” Gurman wrote at the time.

However, Apple did not launch a new Mac Mini in 2022, so MacWorld introduced that Apple may launch a new Mac Mini with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips in the form of a special spring event, or in the form of a press release in the future.

M2 Pro Mac mini design

In order to distinguish the Intel version and the Apple Silicon version of the Mac Mini, Apple has dark gray for the Intel model and silver for the M1 model. The M2 Pro Mac mini may also remain in silver.

However, the design of the Mac mini may be about to change. The Mac mini has had a similar square design since its introduction in 2005. It got thinner over time, lacked a CD drive, and changed colors. According to the renders, the next-generation Mac mini will allegedly shrink in size and may be less than an inch tall. However, these more compact design rumors seem to be related to the new M2 version of the Mac mini.

M2 Pro Mac mini Specifications

M2 Pro: 10-core CPU, up to 20-core GPU, up to 48GB RAM

The M2 Pro chip is estimated to feature 18-20 GPU cores, while there could be 10 or 12 CPU cores. It has been reported that Apple may use a new 3nm process for the M2 Pro chip, which may make the gap between the M2 and M2 Pro even wider than the gap between the M1 and M1 Pro.

The M2 supports a maximum of 24GB, so the M2 Pro is estimated to support 48GB of unified memory.

Prices for the new Mac mini

The Mac mini with the M2 chip starts at $699/£699 (about 5,760 CNY), and the larger capacity model sells for $899/£899 (about 7,408 CNY). The M2 Pro Mac Mini, which replaces the Intel model, starts at $1099 / £1099 (about 9056 CNY).

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The report’s paid preview reads, “Back-end companies are optimistic about demand for the upcoming MacBook chip, which will be manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm process technology, with production set to begin later this year, according to industry sources.”

However, TSMC is unlikely to generate significant revenue from overall 3nm chip production until at least the first quarter of 2023.

That information is consistent with a report last week in Taiwan’s Business Times, which said TSMC will start producing 3nm chips for Apple by the end of 2022. The report said Apple’s first 3nm chip could be the M2 Pro chip for the Mac, adding that the A17 Bionic chip in next year’s iPhone 15 Pro model will also be a 3nm chip.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman expects the M2 Pro chip to be used in the next generation of 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, as well as in the high-end Mac mini that will replace the current Intel-based chip. It’s not entirely clear if this will include new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models, or if Apple will wait to release its first Mac with a 3nm chip in 2023.

Apple’s M1 series chips and M2 chips both use TSMC’s 5nm and improved processes, and the transition to 3nm chips will improve the performance and power efficiency of the Mac and iPhone.

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According to the report, Intel will expand the use of 3nm production processors within the second half of next year (tiles), AMD, Nvidia, Qualcomm, MediaTek, Broadcom, etc. will gradually complete 3nm chip design and start mass production in 2023-2024.

Previously TrendForce said that Intel Meteor Lake core orders were delayed, this move significantly impact TSMC expansion plans, resulting in 3nm process from the second half of this year to next year the first wave of customers only Apple, products include M series chips and A17 Bionic chips. Therefore, TSMC has decided to slow down its expansion schedule to ensure that capacity will not be overly idle and lead to cost pressure.

TrendForce expects that the move will affect some of next year’s capital expenditure planning, resulting in TSMC’s capital expenditure scale next year may be lower than this year.

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