Apple has officially started mass production of the next-generation Apple Silicon chip (M5 chip) and is expected to soon appear on the upcoming iPad Pro line.
However, the M5 is said to not make the leap that many expected.
According to reports, the M5 chip will still be manufactured on TSMC's 3nm process (currently the leading chip manufacturer). Previously, the M3 and M4 chips were also manufactured on 3nm technology.
Apple has not yet switched to TSMC's 2nm process, possibly to optimize production costs, especially amid concerns about tariffs from the Trump administration.
However, Apple will adopt a new assembly process that allows for more layers of circuitry to be stacked, improving performance while maintaining a 3nm design.
It's also worth noting that the nanometer specifications on today's chips do not fully reflect the actual size of the semiconductor components inside, but are mainly for marketing purposes.
The first batches of M5 chips currently in production are the standard version. The higher-end variants such as M5 Pro, M5 Max and M5 Ultra will enter production soon after.
Since the introduction of Apple Silicon with the M1, this chip line has completely changed the performance of Apple devices, making them a formidable competitor in the market. Although the subsequent upgrades are mostly sequential, the M5 will still be a notable step forward. Upcoming Apple devices using the M5 chip are definitely still worth considering.
