Apple has uncharacteristically delayed the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Its predecessor — M4 Pro and M4 Max — launched in November 2024, which means Apple is already past its typical window for announcing the successors. Now, a new rumor suggests the M5 Pro and M5 Max could finally arrive in March.

According to Weibo tipster Fixed-focus digital, Apple could finally unveil the M5 Pro and M5 Max about a month from now. The rumor doesn’t offer a clear explanation for why these chips are running late, especially when chatter suggests the M6 lineup could arrive earlier than previously expected. 

One likely reason, however, could be supply-side limitations. TSMC, Apple’s chip manufacturing partner, has reportedly been dealing with constraints that may have slowed down production.

Apple M5 Pro and Max will use TSMC’s advanced SoIC packaging 

There are also signs that Apple’s SoIC (System-on-a-Chip) packaging may have encountered production challenges. That said, the same leak claims the M5 Pro and M5 Max could end up being slightly cheaper to manufacture, though not by a dramatic margin. 

Any cost reduction would still matter, especially as the industry continues to deal with ongoing DRAM supply pressures.

SoIC could also help Apple address thermal concerns. Previous reports suggest that the standard M5 chip can reach temperatures as high as 99 degrees Celsius under sustained load. Improved packaging might help manage heat more effectively in the Pro and Max variants.

More interestingly, SoIC may allow Apple to separate CPU and GPU blocks on the die. This could open the door to more flexible configurations tailored to different workloads, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

As always, it’s worth treating this information cautiously. Apple has a habit of adjusting plans without warning. Still, if the M5 Pro and M5 Max do arrive in March, they’ll likely debut alongside new hardware — possibly refreshed MacBooks or even an M5 Max-powered Mac Studio.

For now, all that’s left is to wait.

Don’t miss a thing! Join our Telegram community for instant updates and grab our free daily newsletter for the best tech stories!

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

(Source | Via)

The post Apple’s M5 Pro and M5 Max reportedly won’t launch before March appeared first on Gizmochina.