We love the M1 MacBook Pro 13-inch: whether we’re writing words, making music or irritating our online enemies, it’s the perfect partner. But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be improved. How does more ports, more CPU cores, more GPU cores and a free horse sound? All of these things are coming, apparently, apart from the horse (but who knows?).
We already know a more powerful MacBook is coming this summer with an updated version of the M1 chipset. But according to iOS developer and leaker Dylandkt it’s not so much updated as massively upgraded. This isn’t the first time Dylandkt has talked about the M1X MacBook Pro: they posted about upgraded M1 chips destined for the MacBook Pro and a more powerful Mac Mini back in April.
According to the leaker the new MacBook Pro will look more like the iPad Pro (2021) and iPad Air (2020) with flat edges, tiny bezels – which mean the end of the MacBook Pro text beneath the lower bezel – and a much more powerful M1, most likely called the M1X.
It is “an extension of the M1 that will contain more Thunderbolt channels, CPU cores, GPU cores, multiple external monitors and greater power draw,” Dylandkt says. “These devices will both feature a 1080p webcam, SD card reader, three Thunderbolt USB-C ports, an updated MagSafe port and an HDMI port.”
Are you excited? We are.
What's in the M1X for the 2021 MacBook Pro?
For all its joys, and there are many, the current M1 MacBook Pro has some weaknesses compared to the Intel Macs it replaces. For us the main one is connectivity: the 16-inch MacBook Pro has twice the Thunderbolt ports and isn’t limited to driving a single native display.
We’ve known all along that the M1 was just the first of many M-series processors, and we know from watching the A-series that Apple’s silicon evolves very, very quickly. So even without leaks we were already confident that even faster, even more powerful, even more connectable Macs were imminent: as we put it last month: “If the M1 can run fanless in a 6.4mm case, imagine what a souped up version in a thicker case with fans should be able to achieve? Hell, Apple could probably duct-tape two M1s together, basically, and just brute-force its way to the top of the performance pyramid.”
We can’t wait to see what the 2021 MacBook Pro and the M1X can do, even if it the latter does turn out to be two M1s in a trenchcoat.
