We probably won’t get M3 MacBooks this year – here’s why I’m not bothered
Phones first, Macs later
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According to known hardware leaker@Tech_Reve,Applehas reportedly delayed its upcoming M3 chip until at least 2024 – citing ‘yield issues’ with its manufacturing partner TSMC.
This isn’t entirely surprising; the global chip shortage is still ongoing, and TSMC has been having difficulty keeping up with demand – prompting some tech companies to shift over to other major players in the semiconductor fabrication industry, likeSamsung.AMD’snew Z1-series processorswere delayed due to manufacturing struggles, and Intel hasreportedly canceledtwo new projects with TSMC.
Update: No M3 Mac or iPad for this yearDue to yield issues with TSMC not being able to supply enough of the M3 to Apple, Apple has delayed the release of the M3 until next year.So there will be no M3 Macs and no M3 iPads this year. pic.twitter.com/faL9l7n53sMay 3, 2023
Speculation fromMacworldsuggests that Apple is likely focusing on its A17 Bionic chip instead, which is expected to be used in the upcomingiPhone 15 Pro. This isn’t really a shock either; Apple typically sticks to a rigid release cadence for its phones, while Mac products tend to be a bit more spread out.
And so they should be! The upshot of this delay is that we likely won’t be getting any next-gen iMacs or MacBooks (or iPads, most likely) until 2024, but honestly? I think that’s absolutely fine.
Chill out for a minute, Apple
Who among us hasn’t become frustrated with the rapid pace of tech hardware releases at some point? There are few things more annoying than dropping a wad of your hard-earned cash on a new bit of kit, only for the manufacturer to unveil something shiny and new a month later – a new product that usually promises to blow its predecessor out of the water.
Apple is particularly guilty of this; you usually can’t even make it a year before your exciting new device is suddenly old hat. We’ve already had four new MacBook models in the past twelve months alone, most recently the M2-equipped 2023MacBook Pro.
If it’s barely been a year since M2 landed, I have to question if we really need M3 this year – especially sincecomputer sales are in declinedue to the global economic downturn and Apple no doubt still needs to shift M1 and M2 product stock.
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In fact, I think we could wait even longer. The simple fact is that Apple’s M2 silicon is incredibly strong; sure, it only offered modest generational gains over M1, but it’s putInteland AMD in the hot seat and is working hard to demonstrate that creative laptops don’t need a dedicatedgraphics card. I think Apple could exercise some patience here, waiting to see what its competitors have up their sleeves in 2024.
Even setting that aside, I think Apple needs to remember that, unlike Intel and AMD fans, die-hard Apple-heads don’t buy its hardware because of the processor inside it. TheMacBook Airis (technically) the best-selling laptop in the world, and that’s far more due to Apple’s powerful marketing and design capabilities than the – admittedly impressive – silicon inside it.
So, don’t worry – and frankly, if you want a MacBook, just go ahead and pick up anM1 MacBook Air. It’s still one of thebest laptopsmoney can buy, if you prefer MacOS over Windows or Chrome. Hell, you can buy one for$899 on Amazonright now – no need to spend more for a newer model, this bad boy will have you covered.
Christian is TechRadar’s UK-based Computing Editor. He came to us from Maximum PC magazine, where he fell in love with computer hardware and building PCs. He was a regular fixture amongst our freelance review team before making the jump to TechRadar, and can usually be found drooling over the latest high-end graphics card or gaming laptop before looking at his bank account balance and crying.
Christian is a keen campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and the owner of a charming rescue dog named Lucy, having adopted her after he beat cancer in 2021. She keeps him fit and healthy through a combination of face-licking and long walks, and only occasionally barks at him to demand treats when he’s trying to work from home.
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