M2 Extreme was long rumored to be the next biggest thing in Apple silicon — a monster of a processor that was going to be at the heart of the Mac Pro. It never arrived. Instead, the Mac Pro was unveiled with the M2 Ultra chip, with nowhere near the power levels that we were expecting.
There were significant problems with the production of the M2 Extreme chip; so many in fact that it was scrapped. One of the named reasons for the change was that Apple wasn't happy with the yield of the chip — something that Taiwan Semiconductors' new 3D Fabric Technology could fix.
Finally — the most powerful chip
Apple is reportedly testing 3D Fabric Technology as TSMC plans to mass produce 3D Chip stacking packaging by 2027 for Apple and others https://t.co/iW8C2AjgQT pic.twitter.com/kvftXAvLmaJuly 31, 2023
As reported by Patently Apple, it looks like Apple is testing TSMC's new tech, which is mind-boggling and extremely cool at the same time. The idea is that it will stack architecture on top of itself, effectively packaging the silicon in a smaller area. There's more to this method, however, and you can learn more about the manufacturer in Patently Apple's report.
The new chips are a response to the ever-burgeoning AI market, and the need for more powerful chips as machine learning is put in more devices. For Apple, it could also allow for the rebirth of the M2 Extreme dream in the form of an M3 Extreme, or another super-powerful chip in the future.
Not that it will be coming any time soon — in a chat on Twitter between Patently Apple and Youtuber Vadim Yuryev, It looks like the earliest it's coming is 2025, although it's more likely to be closer to 2027.
Either way, it's good to know there's a chance that there could still be a super powerful, top-of-the-range addition to Apple Silicon, be it within two years or four — pro users rejoice, for you may finally be able to get back to those pre-M chip RAM numbers.
