There has been plenty of talk about Apple’s initial ARM MacBooks of late. Last month, @L0vetodream claimed that Apple would be putting a 12-core ARM-based processor inside of a 12-inch MacBook, which would be significantly more cores than it currently uses for the A12Z Bionic. Additionally, whereas TSMC manufacturers the A12Z Bionic on a 7 nm node, the 12-core chipset that will grace the 12-inch MacBook will be built on a 5 nm process.
According to a more recent rumour, Apple will debut this 12-inch MacBook at a Special Event on October 27, 6 weeks after the company announces the Apple Watch Series 6 and the iPhone 12 series. The latter is thought to be arriving in four variants and three screen sizes, as we have discussed previously.
A 12-inch MacBook is apparently not the only ARM-based Apple laptop that is believed to be arriving this year, though. According to @komiya_kj, Apple will release a MacBook Pro 13 running on its new ARM chipsets. The account claims that the MacBook Pro 13 will feature a Touch Bar and a cooling fan, but neither will be present on the 12-inch MacBook.
Additionally, the ARM-powered MacBook Pro 13 will cost in the region of US$1,099, although @komiya_kj does not claim to know to the exact price of the device. The current entry-level MacBook Pro 13 retails for US$1,299, for reference. Similarly, @komiya_kj states that the 12-inch MacBook will start at roughly US$799, which would make it US$200 cheaper than the current entry-level MacBook Air. Initial benchmarks from the A12Z Bionic-based Apple Developer Kit look promising, so it will be intriguing to see what performance Apple gets from 12-core and 5 nm chipsets.