Skip to main content

Apple is secretly testing at least 9 new Macs with M2 chips

With Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) looming on the horizon, speculation is rife about what the Cupertino, California firm could have in store for us over the next year. The answer, it seems, is a bonanza of devices, as a reputable source has alleged Apple is testing at least nine new Macs that could potentially be released in the coming months.

The news comes from reporter Mark Gurman, who has made a name for himself with his accurate leaks and insights. Gurman believes Apple is testing the Macs with “four different M2-based chips,” destined for Macs aimed at both consumers and professional users.

Related Videos
iMac sit on display at the official opening of the new Apple Store Via Del Corso.
Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

According to Gurman, the Macs being tested included the following machines:

  • A new MacBook Air with an M2 chip will come with eight CPU cores and 10 GPU cores. That’s up from the eight CPU cores and either seven or eight GPU cores (depending on the model) in the current MacBook Air
  • Two Mac Minis, one with the same M2 chip as the MacBook Air and another with an M2 Pro chip
  • An entry-level MacBook Pro with an M2 chip. This is will be an update to the 13-inch MacBook Pro
  • Two 14-inch MacBook Pro laptops, one with an M2 Pro chip and one with an M2 Max. Gurman says the M2 Pro has 12 CPU cores and 38 GPU cores, which is more than the 10 CPU cores and 32 GPU cores in the top-of-the-range M1 Max. This chip will also come with 64GB of unified memory
  • Two 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips
  • A Mac Pro with a successor to the M1 Ultra that debuted in the Mac Studio

Gurman also dropped the tidbit that Apple is currently testing Mac Mini machines with both M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, as well as the next-generation M2 equivalents. For many months, the Mac Mini has been rumored to get an M1 Pro upgrade, so Gurman’s news lines up with past leaks. However, Gurman adds that there’s a strong chance the Mac Studio has now made those machines obsolete, so our money is on Apple skipping straight to the M2 versions.

New story: Apple is testing at least 9 new M2-based Macs, including 12 core CPU/38 core GPU 14/16-inch MacBook Pros, 8 core CPU/10 core GPU MacBook Air, Mac mini & entry MacBook Pro + Mac Pro. New machines already appearing in third-party app analytics. https://t.co/PMDX1XYfOV

— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) April 14, 2022

With WWDC scheduled for June, previous rumors have suggested Apple will launch at least two new Macs at the event. The most likely contenders are the MacBook Air, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the Mac Mini.

The discovery of these new Macs was apparently made through App Store developer logs, suggesting Apple is testing the performance of its upcoming devices in a variety of third-party Mac apps that its customers might use. App logs have accurately revealed details in the past, such as the M1 Pro and M1 Max chip names, suggesting there could be some truth behind these current rumors.

Editors' Recommendations

Apple may launch a groundbreaking new Mac in a few weeks
The MacBook Air on a table in front of a window.

This spring could be a momentous one for Apple fans, with a top-secret mixed-reality headset and new Apple silicon Mac Pro lined up for release. We’ve also heard whispers that Apple is planning to launch a 15.5-inch MacBook Air, and that idea just received a major boost from a well-known industry expert.

That’s because display industry analyst Ross Young has just claimed in a post to his Twitter subscribers that screen panel production for the larger MacBook Air has already begun, with Apple lining up an early April release date for the device. If he’s correct, that means there are just a couple of months to wait. It follows previous reporting from Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman and Young himself pointing toward a spring release.

Read more
Waiting for the M3 iMac? We’ve got bad news for Apple fans
Man using a 24-inch M1 iMac.

If you’ve been holding out for Apple to launch a refreshed iMac, there’s some bad news: it might not launch until late 2023 or early 2024. If correct, that could mean disappointment for anyone who has been waiting for Apple’s all-in-one computer to get upgraded to the latest and greatest chips.

The news comes from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman (via MacRumors), whose track record for Apple leaks is one of the best in the biz. In his Power On newsletter, Gurman explained that he has not seen any indication that a new version of the iMac is imminent. “So if you want to stick with the iMac,” he added, “you'll just have to sit tight.”

Read more
MacBook Pro M2 Pro/M2 Max buying guide: how to make the right choice
The MacBook Pro open on a wooden table.

Apple's MacBook Pro has emerged as among the best laptops you can buy in the 14-inch laptop and 16-inch laptop spaces. The newest versions have been upgraded to Apple's M2 Pro and M2 Max CPUs, which build on the original with more cores, faster speeds, and even better efficiency.

The laptops are highly configurable, at least when it comes to the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage, and so you have some choices to make when selecting your machine. This guide will go over some of the more salient points to help you make the best decision.
Large or small?

Read more