It is no secret that Apple wants to own its hardware from start to end. This is why the company ditched Intel’s CPUs a few years ago and made its own series of Apple Silicon chips. The company is expected to debut the M5 chipset next year, and apparently Apple has designed it in such a way that it will offer server-grade performance.
Slight improvements
This is according to a post on X by notable Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo. According to Kuo’s post, he claims that the M5 will adopt TSMC’s advanced N3P node. This also means that for the M5 Pro, M5 Max, and M5 Ultra chipsets, Apple will utilize server-grade SoIC packaging.
What this means is that users can expect to see a 5-10% decrease in power draw. It could also offering a 5% improvement in performance gains. The biggest change would probably be to its size.
The use of the SoIC-mH design means that it will take up 30-50% less space compared to a regular SoC. This could allow Apple to create thinner/smaller computers, or other devices that could utilize the extra space. Another interesting change is that Apple could separate the CPU and GPU designs on the M5.
This could offer up greater performance, especially when it comes to AI-related tasks. AI is definitely an area that Apple is interested and invested in. Having the hardware that could power more complex AI requests would be extremely beneficial to the company.
More possibilities
Apple’s M-series of chipsets have been powerful right from the jump. Benchmark scores and reviews of the M1 found it to be more powerful than the Intel CPUs Apple had used previously. But now the possibility of the Apple M5 offering server-grade performance could open all kinds of doors for Apple.
It is unclear if Apple plans to offer servers powered by the M5, but that potential exists with its server-grade performance. Plus, there are benefits of using Apple Silicon. For instance, it could run cooler compared to regular x86-based chips. Plus, the system-on-chip design could create smaller servers which could save space and reduce the costs involved with cooling.
Apple already employs a variety of sustainable methods for cooling its data centers, so having servers that run more efficiently could help the company reach its green goals.
Also, if it is powerful enough, it wouldn’t be surprising if other companies showed interest in using Apple’s chipsets for their servers. This could end up eating into Intel’s shares, although it does seem unlikely since Apple isn’t the type to sell its components to others. Regardless, it is a possibility worth considering.
2024-12-26 15:05:52