蘋果M3芯片已啓動研發，最早將於2023年下半年發佈

來源：WCCF Tech

點擊此處查看原文>>>

蘋果的M3將被視爲M2的直接繼任者，據稱新的SoC的核心設計已經啓動，樂觀估計最快推出時間爲2023年下半年。

目前M3的一些細節已經泄露，包括未來可能出現在哪些產品上。臺灣《商業時報》發表的新消息稱，M3將採用代號Malma，下一代將在臺積電的N3E架構上進行量產。N3E據說是N3工藝的改進版，也被稱爲3納米。N3據說比N5提供了高達15%的性能提升和高達30%的功耗降低，N3E則進一步提升優化。

報告指出，M3可能在2023年上半年或2024年第一季度發佈。不過筆者認爲，2023年推出似乎過於樂觀，所以暫時保守估計2024年推出。我們可能會在明年看到蘋果的第一批3納米芯片，因爲量產已經開始，而且該公司很可能會使用同樣的技術來製造A17仿生芯片，據傳該芯片將專門用於iPhone 15 Pro和iPhone 15 Pro Max中。

M3可用於MacBook Air等產品，而且蘋果有可能增加該機型的顯示屏尺寸，由於有更大的冷卻解決方案，散熱會得到改善。其他潛在產品包括新的iPad Pro系列，以及iMac，未來可能還有iPad Air。我們現在還不知道M3的核心數量，但參考M2和M1，我們可以假設蘋果將會再次使用四個性能核心和四個高能效核心。

鑑於以3納米光刻技術大規模生產芯片的複雜性，臺積電有可能在未來遇到問題。這些問題可能會迫使蘋果推遲M3的上市時間。

Apple’s M3 will be viewed as a direct successor to the M2, with a new report claiming that core design of the new SoC has kicked off, and the optimistic launch timeline is as early as the second half of 2023. New information published on Taiwan’s Commercial Times states that the M3 will sport the codename Malma, with the impression that the next-generation silicon will be mass produced on TSMC’s N3E architecture. N3E is said to be an improved variant of the N3 process, also known as 3nm. Where N3 is said to provide up to a 15 percent performance bump and up to 30 percent power reduction improvement compared to N5, N3E could further boost those differences. The report states that M3 could launch during the first half of 2023 or in the first quarter of 2024. We believe that 2023 appears to be too optimistic for a launch timeline, so we will stick with 2024 for now. We could see the first batch of 3nm chips from Apple next year, as mass production has started, and it is likely that the company will use the same technology to fabricate the A17 Bionic, which is rumored to be used exclusively in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The M3 could be used in products like the MacBook Air, and there is a chance Apple could increase the display size of this model, resulting in improved thermals thanks to a larger cooling solution. Other potential products include the updated iPad Pro series, along with the refreshed iMac, and possibly an iPad Air in the future. We are unaware of the M3’s core count right now, but looking at the M2 and M1, we are assuming that Apple will once again use four performance cores and four power-efficient ones. Given the complexities of mass producing chips at a 3nm lithography, there is a chance that TSMC will run into problems in the future. Those problems may force Apple to push the launch timeline of the M3, but we will continue to update our readers with the latest information, so stay tuned.