Apple to start M5 chip development in H1 2025 with separate CPU-GPU design: Ming-Chi Kuo

Apple will begin mass production of its M5 family chipsets next year, a supply chain analyst claims. It is anticipated that it will be mass produced by leveraging TSMC’s 3nm semiconductor node (N3), which can provide performance gains and increased efficiency compared to the previous manufacturing process. Apple is also speculated to employ a new chipset design that may take up less space than traditional system-on-chip (SoC) architectures.

Apple’s M5 chip development

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, supply chain analyst at TF International Securities, the standard M5 Apple silicon chip will enter mass production in the first half of 2025. It is believed to be developed by other members of its family like the M5 Pro. /Max and Ultra variants that may enter the manufacturing phase in 2H25 and 2026 respectively.

According to Kuo, the M5 chipset will be manufactured using TSMC’s N3P node, which could provide a 5 percent performance gain compared to the M4 SoC’s N3E node, as well as reduce power draw by 5-10 percent. . The Cupertino-based technology giant is expected to employ a “server-grade” system-on-integrated-chips-molding-horizontal (SOIC-MH) design with its M5 Pro and Ultra chips in which multiple integrated circuits are integrated into a single Will be. Unit, in which the chips are placed horizontally within the mold.

Analysts suggest this unconventional design could take up 30-50 percent less space than a traditional system-on-chip (SoC). This method is expected to result in improved thermal performance and less throttling.

Additionally, the iPhone maker will also separate its CPU and GPU designs on the M5 chip. According to Kuo, this separation could result in even greater performance gains. Apple currently integrates both the CPU and GPU on a single chip. If they were separated, in theory each component would be optimized for its specific role. Kuo suggests that the M5 SoC could also get a boost when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI) functions.