Apple to skip M6 Pro and Max chips to fast-track M7 line for 2027

Apple to skip M6 Pro and Max chips to fast-track M7 line for 2027

Apple is planning a significant deviation from its established silicon roadmap by bypassing the high-end variants of its upcoming M6 processor. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the company will not develop M6 Pro or M6 Max chips, making the M6 the first generation since the 2020 transition to Apple Silicon to lack these professional configurations.

The shift is intended to accelerate the release of the M7 chip family, which is designed specifically to meet surging demand for on-device AI and enhanced graphics performance. By skipping the M6 Pro and Max, Apple can move the M7 timeline up by as much as half a year.

The M6 Transition

The base M6 chip, codenamed Komodo, is expected to launch in late 2026. Apple is currently testing the chip in an updated 14-inch MacBook Pro. While the M6 may also appear in the Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook Air, the MacBook Pro is the only device specifically referenced in Bloomberg's report. The MacBook Air, having been refreshed in March 2026, may not see a new chip until 2027.

The M6 represents a technical leap, as it will be the first chip built on a 2-nanometer process using TSMC's N2 process, replacing the 3-nanometer process used in previous generations. This smaller node size allows more transistors to be packaged on a chip, typically resulting in better power efficiency and processor speeds. Additionally, the chips will transition from InFo packaging to Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM), which more closely integrates the CPU, GPU, DRAM, and Neural Engine to improve internal communication.

Key hardware improvements for the M6 include:

• Memory Bandwidth: Increasing to approximately 200GB/s, up from 153GB/s in the M5.
• GPU: A redesigned graphics unit with versions tested at 12 cores, compared to 10 cores in the M5.
• AI and Video: An upgraded Neural Engine and improved video encoding and decoding.

Fast-Tracking the M7 Generation

The M7 family is designed around major advancements in AI processing. The base M7, codenamed Delos or H19G, could arrive as early as the first half of 2027. This chip is expected to further boost memory bandwidth to around 240GB/s, which is about 57 percent higher than the M5 and 20 percent higher than the rumored M6.

Higher-end M7 variants will follow later. The M7 Pro (H19S) and M7 Max (H19C) are slated for release in late 2027, with the M7 Ultra (H19D) expected in 2028. This strategic move allows Apple to compete with rivals like Nvidia, which is introducing RTX Spark chips for Windows laptops late this year, as well as Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm.

Immediate Outlook for Power Users

For professionals requiring high-performance hardware for 3D rendering or machine learning, the M5 Pro and Max remain the top options until the M7 arrives. However, Apple is still planning an M5 Ultra chip, codenamed Sotra D or H17D, which may debut as early as 2026 in a new Mac Studio.

The M5 Ultra is expected to feature approximately 36 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores. Apple has tested configurations for this machine supporting up to 768GB of unified memory, though component and memory shortages may influence the final specifications and timing.

Current Mac Studio models utilize either an M4 Max (14-core CPU, 32-core GPU) or an M3 Ultra (28-core CPU, 60-core GPU). The upcoming M5 Ultra would represent a significant jump in capability for the current generation before the transition to the AI-centric M7 line begins in 2027.