Apple's M5 Pro and M5 Max chips may launch in March 2025, disrupting the usual schedule. Learn about TSMC supply issues and SoIC technology details.
© A. Krivonosov
Apple appears to be breaking from its usual professional chip update schedule. According to insiders, the M5 Pro and M5 Max processors might not launch until March at the earliest, even though the previous generation—the M4 Pro and M4 Max—debuted back in November 2024. This move disrupts the company's typical announcement rhythm.
The delay could stretch to about a month, though Apple hasn't officially disclosed the exact reasons for the shift. Against this backdrop, rumors that Apple is accelerating development of the M6 lineup make the situation around the M5 even more ambiguous.
One likely cause for the delay points to challenges at TSMC, Apple's key chip manufacturing partner. Reports suggest the company has faced certain supply chain constraints that may have impacted the rollout pace for new processors.
It's known that the M5 Pro and M5 Max will use TSMC's advanced SoIC packaging technology. This allows for tighter integration of components and potentially improves thermal performance—a detail that matters because the base M5 chip reportedly heats up to nearly 99 degrees Celsius under sustained loads. Moreover, SoIC opens the door to more flexible architecture. Specifically, Apple could separate CPU and GPU compute blocks at the chip level, creating configurations better tailored to different types of tasks rather than universal solutions.
Despite rumors of a slight production cost reduction for the M5 Pro and M5 Max, the industry still faces pressure from limited DRAM supplies, so significant price drops for end devices aren't expected. As always with unofficial information, Apple's plans could change at any moment. But if the launch does happen in March, the new processors will most likely debut alongside updated MacBook Pro or Mac Studio models based on the M5 Max.