The Apple M1 SoC has just been launched and there are already rumors about another ARM-based chip coming out of the Cupertino company soon. The part has been tentatively called the M1X although the name is yet to be confirmed. The Apple M1X will apparently bring more CPU cores to the 2021 MacBook Pro 16 than the M1 chip could.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Alleged-Apple-M1X-SoC-in-upcoming-MacBook-Pro-16-ready-to-outcore-and-outscore-its-M1-ARM-based-relative.506019.0.html
M1x, 32 GB RAM, less than 2 kg and we may see quite a lot of things flying trough windows.
An M1x or whatever they call it had to happen for the 16" macbook pro... the core count on the CPU sounds about right... but I would expect a bump to GPU cores as well. There is no existing architecture for pairing an ARM processor with Invidia/AMD cpus and I can't see them developing one when their focus is moving the chip development in house. But PRO macs need better graphics than AIR macs. They can get by with an M1 mac pro 13 at launch but not for the flagship 16. I would guess the M1x will have at lest 12 GPU cores. I also expect a premium 13" pro with the new CPU to be introduced along side the 16" pro.
Also if i had to guess on release dates I see iPad and Mac CPUs leap frogging each other... the A14 was released first... the M1 next... then likely in march when mini-led displays are delivered they will release the new iPad Pros with the A14x (similar to M1)... then the next release will be the Macbook Pro 16 and high end 13 with the M1x.
Quote from: Dan Ridenhour on November 25, 2020, 17:21:15
There is no existing architecture for pairing an ARM processor with Invidia/AMD cpus and I can't see them developing one when their focus is moving the chip development in house.
That's not a problem. All you need is a PCIe controller and they should already have something like that (Thunderbolt support, storage). At worst, they would need more lanes/ pins on a package. ARM makes no difference. But I agree, I expect the number of GPU cores to grow as well. Unless there is a dGPU.
I heard that they want to ditch AMD as well as Intel. I'm not sure how official that information was. So, supporting a dGPU from AMD would probably only be a stop-gap measure before they can roll their own solution that is powerful enough. Which is supported by the lack of eGPU support on M1 Macs. It seems Apple has no intention of releasing drivers for AMD GPUs. Technically, it should be possible.
A question is whether there will be only one CPU for MBP16, or two. Or more. 8+4 configuration makes sense on its own. But if they want two and not the 4+4, then what would be the second one? 12+4? Do they want to go that big? Or perhaps a 6+4. There was an indication that a more powerful Mac mini and MBP13 are coming. But I'm not sure about top MBP13 having the same processor as top MBP16. We'll see. I wouldn't be surprised if they focused more on the GPU side than CPU side in the top of the line MBP16.
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