In 2020 Apple began using its own screen background processors in its Macs , starting with the comer of theM1 processorin the MacBook Air , 13 - inch MacBook Pro , Mac mini , and 24 - inch iMac . We ’ve since seen the debut of the higher - end versions in the form of the M1 Max and M1 Pro , which get in the14 - in MacBook Proand16 - in MacBook Proin October 2021 , and finally the M1 Ultra , which debuted with the newMac Studioin March 2022 .

Now Apple has revealed the details of the 2d generation of Apple silicon . We ’ve gathered all the news about what to expect from Apple ’s M2 arrangement on chip , all its coming variance include the M2 Pro , Max and Ultra and inside information of the first Macs to have them .

M2 chip family release date: When will the M2 Pro, Max and Ultra be released?

The first M2 scrap embark with the MacBook Air and 13 - inch MacBook Pro and the M2 MacBook Pro in June and July 2022 .

M2 chip family specs: M2 Pro, Max and Ultra predicted specs

As with the floor model of the M1 , the M2 is aimed at consumer rather than professional person . Its focal point is on energy efficiency as well as oecumenical performance enhancements over its predecessor . See : M2 vs M1 , M1 Pro , M1 Max , M1 Ultra .

The M2 offers an 8 - nitty-gritty CPU , 10 - core GPU , as well as up to 24 GB RAM . That ’s more GPU kernel than the M1 , which had 8 GPU cores , and a higher RAM limit , which go past out at 16 GB RAM on the M1 .

Now that we know what is on whirl from the received M2 chip we can generalize some potential specification for the rest of the M2 - serial . These predictions are base on the same doubling up of components in the M1 - series .

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The M2 MacBook Pro

The M1 chips offered the following :

So based on what we know , we can simulate the follow specification for the M2 family of chips :

However , we may not see quite as in high spirits specs as the above . Mark Gurman from Bloomberg ’s presage in October 2022 that theconfiguration options for the M2 Ultrawill let in 24- and 48 - essence mainframe , 76- and 152 - core GPUs , and up to 256 GB of memory .

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The M2 MacBook Pro

Based on the M2 it is potential that Apple may not increase the number of CPU cores for the rest of the M2 - series , but that does n’t necessary have in mind that the CPUs in the novel poker chip will be no skillful than those in the M1 serial publication . Due to change in the way that the potato chip are invent , there are improvements seen in the CPU performance regardless of the bit of central processing unit .

While the manufacture appendage remains at 5 nm , the M2 apply the second - generation 5 - millimicron engineering . TSMC ’s next coevals N4P outgrowth , is an enhanced variant of the 5 nanometre process and is supposed to deport about 11 percent points more performance and almost 22 pct points more efficiency compared to the conventional 5 nanometer appendage ( used for the production of A15 and M1 , M1 Pro and Max ) .

Apple makes claims that seem to receive these expectations . allot to Apple the M2 offers : “ an 18 percent faster CPU , a 35 percent more hefty GPU , and a 40 percent faster Neural Engine , ” which matches with our benchmarks . There is also 50 percent more memory bandwidth compared to M1 , and up to 24 GB of debauched unified memory , which helps increase the overall performance .

There are reports that indicate that Apple is proceed to a 3 nm process , which could intend we see even more powerful var. within the M2 - series due to even higher transistor density . However , this overture may not transpirate until the M3 series arrives , agree toDigitimes , who claim in December 2021 that TSMC , who manufactures the chip for Apple , had to postpone its 3 nm plans due to the complexities with the process . It should be noted that Apple moved to a 4 nm unconscious process for the A16 in the iPhone 14 , so Apple could use that in the M2 chips as well .

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M2 benchmarks

base on our tests we can demonstrate the advancements made by the M2 compared to the M1 , as sketch below .

M2 CPU

Even before the M2 launch , we had seen reports that Apple would keep to the same 8 CPU core with the M2 as it had for the M1 and this is the event , however , the melioration offered by the M2 should think that the Modern Macs are much more knock-down and energy effective than the harbinger .

The N4P operation , mentioned above , allows for a greater electronic transistor density , which could set aside item-by-item cores to be clock a little faster than in the M1 . There are 25 pct more electronic transistor than in the M1 , which allow for improvement to the computer storage controller and memory bandwidth .

As with the M1 , the M2 CPU cores are split into mellow performance and high efficiency variance . The faster functioning cores are geminate with a larger cache , while the efficiency nucleus see even heavy performance gains , accord to Apple .

Apple claim : “ Compared with the latest 10 - heart PC laptop chip , the CPU in M2 provides nearly twice the performance at the same business leader layer . ”

compare to PCs with more central processor cores , the M2 is able-bodied to provide almost as much performance with a fraction of the power expenditure . According to Apple : “ M2 provides nearly 90 percent of the peak functioning of the 12 - nub cow chip while using just one - one-fourth the power . ”

In our tests of the M2 MacBook Pro we could see that the multi - core result was still below that of the M1 Pro , although when it come to single - gist it beat the M1 Pro .

M2 GPU

Apple also expanded the graphics card performance to ten graphics cores , two more than the current M1 . This was anticipated .

Apple claims the 10 - core GPU delivers “ up to 25 percent high graphics execution than M1 at the same power horizontal surface ” , thanks to the bigger cache and higher memory bandwidth . At maximal tycoon this is 35 per centum better , claims Apple .

Apple also claims that the GPU deliver 2.3x fast performance compared to the latest integrate graphics ( while using a one-fifth of the ability ) .

Thanks to the extra GPU core , 10 - sum rather than the 8 - core limit of the M1 , the M2 perform well than the M1 , but it ’s still below the M1 Pro with 14 - cores . None of which should be a surprisal .

M2 RAM

The M2 supports more random access memory than the M1 does – the M1 maxes out at 16 GB RAM , while the M2 can support 24 GB RAM . There are hopes therefore that the M2 Pro , Max and Ultra will support more RAM , up from 32 GB , 64 GB and 128 GB respectively in the M1 - series .

In addition , the memory controller in the M2 offers 100GB / s of interconnected memory bandwidth , which is 50 percent more than M1 .

M2 Battery life

Apple ’s claims about power efficiency might lead you to expect good battery life , but battery life for the M2 - power MacBooks is still 18 hours .

Which Apple devices will get the M2 processor?

Apple already updated theMacBook Airand13 in MacBook Prowith the M2 . We expect that theMac miniwill also see a like update in October . Assitionally , theiPad Prois likely to get an M2 update as well .

Which Macs will get the M2 Pro and Max processor?

Apple is expected to bestow the M2 Pro and Max to the following Macs :

Apple still sells an Intel version of the higher - ending Mac mini , so that model is rumored to finally get an update to an M2 processor this decline . to boot , the higher - end MacBook Pro machines will likely get a spec bump at the same clip .

Read abouthow Apple ’s M1 and M2 processor compare to Intel in our Mac processor pathfinder .

Which Macs will get the M2 Ultra and Extreme processor?

A new Mac Studio will in all likelihood arrive with the M2 Max and M2 Ultra in 2023 , but there could be a newMac Proin the word of mouth with the M2 uttermost central processor . We ’re not sure on the timing of this announcement , but Apple teased it release at the Peek Performance outcome in March .

And the M3…

With the M2 arriving about a year and a half after the M1 , we can arrogate that the M3 chips will being range out in late 2023 . Like the A - series iPhone bit , that central processing unit is potential to bring a bigger saltation in performance due to architectural modification and the move to a fresh 3 nm process .

If the 3 nm appendage is n’t used for the still to launch M2 fleck it looks certain to get in with the M3 .

According to Digitimes , the first product using the 3 nm CPU will be released in the first poop of 2023 with production pop at the end of 2022 . Qualcomm , Samsung and Intel are all fix to habituate the 3 nm process . The Informationhas reported that Apple ’s M3 chips have the codification names Ibiza , Lobos and Palma .

For more information read : Apple silicon , rank : How the M2 compares to every other Apple chip .