Chris Hagan / Digital TrendsWere still in the middle of the rollout of Apples M4 chips, but today we got our first big peek at its successor, the M5. The report comes from reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who posted on X today and spilled some juicy technical details about whats coming.The M5 family of chips will be manufactured on TSMCs N3P node, the next step up from the N3E on the M4. Kuo says the new node entered the prototype phase a few months ago, but its the first time were getting three generations of chips in a row that use the 3nm node.Recommended VideosThe M5 Pro, Max, and Ultra, specifically, will use server-grade 2.5D packaging, with the explicit purpose of improving production yields and thermal performance. This will allow the CPU and GPU to use separate designs, which is a major change from previous generations that use a conventional system on chip. Kuo also mentions that these high-end M5 chips will be better suited for AI inferencing. Apple M5 series chip1. The M5 series chips will adopt TSMCs advanced N3P node, which entered the prototype phase a few months ago. M5, M5 Pro/Max, and M5 Ultra mass production is expected in 1H25, 2H25, and 2026, respectively.2. The M5 Pro, Max, and Ultra will utilize https://t.co/XIWHx5B2Cy (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) December 23, 2024RelatedTheres a lot we dont know about in terms of exactly how these changes will affect the end product, but clearly, Apple is giving its higher-end chips some new capabilities and featuresThe timeline provided by Kuo doesnt deviate from previous generations, with the M5 kicking things off in the first half of 2025, followed by the M5 Pro/Max in the second half. Lastly, the M5 Ultra is scheduled for 2026. This would return the most powerful Mac desktops to a yearly update cycle after having skipped the M3 Ultra.Were still waiting on the M4 Ultra, of course, which is scheduled to pop up in a refreshed Mac Studio and Mac Pro sometime in 2025.Editors Recommendations