Apple Inc. is reportedly preparing to launch three new MacBook laptops that feature a yet-unannounced processor known as the M3.

Sources told 9to5Mac late Monday that the M3 will ship with new 13-inch and 15-inch versions of the MacBook Air, Apple’s entry-level laptop. The chip is also expected to become available with the 13-inch edition of the high-end MacBook Pro. Earlier, Bloomberg reported that the M3 could also find its way into the iMac, Apple’s all-in-one desktop computer.

Little information is available about the upcoming M3 chip except that it’s believed to be based on a three-nanometer manufacturing process. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd., which makes Apple’s MacBook chips, began mass producing three-nanometer processors in December. TSMC has said the technology will offer up to 15% higher performance and 35% better power-efficiency than earlier silicon. 

Apple’s MacBook processors use a system-on-chip design, meaning they combine multiple types of compute modules in a single package. The M2 processor in the newest MacBooks combines a central processing unit with a graphics card, a machine learning accelerator and other specialized modules. It’s believed the CPU in the next-generation M3 chip will feature eight cores.

Apple’s chip design updates often bring significant performance improvements. The M2 chip in the company’s newest laptops has 20 billion transistors, 25% more than the previous-generation M1 module. The M2’s onboard CPU is 18% faster than that of its predecessor, while the integrated graphics card promises to provide up to 35% better performance.

A hallmark feature of Apple’s MacBook processors is their use of so-called unified memory.

When a computer’s CPU, graphics card and other processing modules are implemented as separate chips, they each have to store a separate copy of the data being processed. In Apple’s MacBook processors, the different compute modules are located on the same piece of silicon. They share a single copy of the data being processed instead of creating separate versions, which allows them to carry out calculations more efficiently. 

It’s unclear when Apple’s new M3-powered MacBooks will launch. The current-generation M2 chip made its debut last year at the company’s WWDC developer conference, which usually takes place in June. According to 9to5Mac, recent rumors suggest that at least one of the new MacBooks could be announced during this year’s WWDC.

Apple usually releases new versions of iOS, MacOS and its other operating systems at the event. This year, it’s believed the company could also debut not only upgraded MacBooks but also its long-rumored mixed reality headset. The headset will reportedly feature the M2 chip that powers Apple’s current-generation MacBooks.

Image: Apple