Apple Kicks Off M5 Chip Mass Production Prioritising AI Performance, To Be Used in MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, Vision Pro

Highlights

• Apple has started mass production of M5 chips prioritising AI performance.
• The chip is expected to be used in 2025 models of MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Vision Pro.
• The M5 chips include advancements like System-on-Integrated-Chips-molding-Horizontal (SoIC-mH) technology to improve heat dissipation and performance.
• Initial mass production is led by ASE (Taiwan) with Amkor (US) and JCET (China) joining later.
• The first standard M5 chip is expected in the new iPad Pro lineup in the second half of this year.

Apple’s next-gen M5 chips expected to prioritise AI performance in next-generating Apple devices are now in mass production. According to a report by the Korean news website ETNews, the company’s manufacturing partners have started packaging the new chips, a process that involves wiring up the silicon and enclosing it in a protective case.

Reports suggest the M5 chip will be used for 2025 models of MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Vision Pro.

The ET report says, “Apple has started mass production of the next-generation semiconductor chip ‘M5’. It is a semiconductor installed in Apple’s core products such as the Mac series and iPad. It is understood that Apple has introduced new process technology to enhance artificial intelligence (AI) performance.”

The M5 chips are built on TSMC’s advanced 3nm (N3P) process and are expected to deliver a 5% boost in performance with up to 10% better power efficiency. But the real focus this time is AI with Apple likely upgrading the Neural Processing Unit (NPU). For example, the M4’s Neural Engine reached 38 TOPS, which is more than double the 18 TOPS of the M3.

One of the most exciting developments is the introduction of System-on-Integrated-Chips-molding-Horizontal (SoIC-mH) technology in some M5 models. This allows chips to be stacked using copper connectors improving heat dissipation and boosting performance.

Apple is also tweaking how these chips are mounted on the motherboard refining the adhesive layer to support better stacking, similar to how smartphone RAM sits directly on top of the chipset.

Production is being handled by multiple companies including the ASE (Taiwan) is leading the initial mass production, while Amkor (US) and JCET (China) will join in later batches.

The first standard variant of the M5 chip is expected to debut in the new iPad Pro lineup in the second half of this year. Apple also has M5 Pro, Max and Ultra versions in the works. Notably, the M5 Pro will be the first to feature the SoIC-mH stacking method.

There hasn’t been an Ultra chip since the M2 series, which powered the Mac Pro and Mac Studio. Neither of those machines has seen an upgrade since then, and analysts believe the M5 Ultra might not arrive until 2026. This suggests we won’t see new Mac Pro or Mac Studio models this year.

FAQs

Q1. Which Apple devices will feature the M5 chip?

Answer. The M5 chip will be used in the 2025 models of MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro.

Q2. What advancements are included in the M5 chip?

Answer. The M5 chips are built on TSMC’s 3nm process and feature System-on-Integrated-Chips-molding-Horizontal (SoIC-mH) technology, which improves heat dissipation and performance.

Q3. Who is handling the mass production of the M5 chip?

Answer. Initial mass production is led by ASE (Taiwan), with Amkor (US) and JCET (China) joining later batches.

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