Apple M1X MacBook Pro 16 launch and price rumors will leave fans bowled over as alleged unveiling plans also include mini-LED MacBook Pro 14 and ARM-based MacBook Air
Those Apple fans dreaming of a an M1X MacBook Pro 16 or Apple laptop with mini-LED display will soon enjoy the reality of those devices according to posts published by LeaksApplePro. The tipster teased that they had information about upcoming MacBooks, and it seems no less than three devices were on the leak schedule. Unsurprisingly, there was also some mention of what is currently widely known as the M1X SoC. This is still an unconfirmed name for the chip that could have possibly originated from a controlled leak to keep snoopers off the scent of its real name.
It appears Apple will unveil redesigned and non-redesigned MacBooks in Q4 2021. The M1 Apple Silicon was officially announced in November of last year, so it could be that November is the key month again for this year, but this time with a 12-core M1X as one of the stars of the show. This M1X processor will apparently find its way inside the MacBook Pro 16, although there is some accidental ambiguity from the source in regard to the chip’s configuration. In one post “16 cores ARM processor” is mentioned and in another “12 CPU cores” is stated. It’s believed the M1X SoC will have 12 CPU cores (8x high-performance @3.2 GHz and 4x energy-saving) and 16 GPU cores, so this could explain the seemingly conflicting statements above.
Additionally, the MacBook Pro 16 and MacBook Pro 14 will come with redesigned cooling solutions to help take advantage of the higher-performing Apple Silicon. On top of that, the MacBook Pro 14 will sport a mini-LED display, come with an SD slot and HDMI port, and offer 1x USB and 3x USB Type-C ports. Not much is said about the supposed 13-inch MacBook Air apart from it won’t enjoy the same level of redesign as the MacBook Pro models, and it will feature an 8-core ARM-based SoC. The 2020 MacBook Air already has the 8-core ARM-based Apple M1, so it’s unclear how a 2021 model may differ, although this might be more about display changes rather than the processor.
Lastly, LeaksApplePro dropped something of a bombshell in regard to the pricing for these MacBooks (Pro 16 and Air, as Pro 14 is a new size), which like the rest of the rumors should be taken with a pinch of salt. Apparently, “Apple’s plans don’t include rising the price of these new MacBooks”, which would make an M1X MacBook Pro 16 look like an absolute bargain before it has even been officially announced. Interestingly, another commenter stated that they reckoned any M1X MacBook Pro 16 price rise would be in parallel to what happened with the 13-inch M1 model’s release compared to the previous 13-inch Intel-based version – so no change.
Apple is unveiling a few Macs this year.
— LeaksApplePro (@LeaksApplePro) March 18, 2021
A 16” MacBook Pro which will have a 16 cores ARM processor.
A 13” non-redesigned MacBook Air which will have an 8 cores ARM processor.
These 2 are set to be unveiled at Q4 2021.
