First-ever M3 Macs could arrive this year, but it won’t be Mac Mini or high-end Macbook Pro

If you’ve been waiting for the new M3-powered MacBook Pro to come out, then there’s bad news for you as it isn’t likely to arrive until next year.

Apple could begin the rollout of the M3 SoC starting with the MacBook Air in October. (Representative Image) (Unsplash)

Apple's development for the M3 chip seems to be in full swing as previous reports claimed that M3-powered Macs could see the light of day in October this year. Now, another report hints at the possible models that could be launched. Shifting to Apple Silicon has been a major gamble for the Cupertino-based company, but one that seems to have paid off as its in-house chipsets are offering a great balance of power and efficiency.

On July 17, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, in his newsletter. revealed that Apple is planning to make the jump to its M3 chip later this year with the launch of new Macs. Now, the journalist has shed some light on the finer details.

Apple's M3-powered Macs

In his latest Power On newsletter (via MacRumors), Gurman claimed that while M3-powered Macs could be introduced in October this year, it is unlikely that those models would include the M3 Mac Mini or the high-end MacBook Pro.

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Gurman said, “it's a sure thing that an M3 version of the Mac mini is eventually coming”, highlighting that the Mac Mini or the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro would not be among the first wave of M3 Macs that will make their debut this year. He also noted that the M2-powered Mac Mini came out two years after the launch of the M1 version, which could mean Apple does not think these models need a refresh every single year.

Both these machines could be powered by M3 Pro and M3 Max chips and a launch earlier than late 2024 is not expected, as per Gurman.

Which M3 Macs could come out?

According to Gurman, Apple is planning to introduce the M3 SoC starting with the next iMac, 13-inch MacBook Air, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. However, the top-end MacBook Pros are not expected to make the jump at this time. The M3 chip could be on its way and we could see the new Macs in October, shortly after Apple's Fall event.

Apart from the Macs, a new iPad powered by M3 SoC is also expected, starting with the iPad Pros featuring OLED displays that could arrive next year. While Gurman has also hinted at an iPad Air with boosted specs being in the works, there's little known about the launch timeline.