Apple continues to keep us in suspense as the M5 Pro and M5 Max launches remain in limbo, with the only concrete details available to us being that these chipsets will arrive in the first half of 2026. Recently, evidence of only the M5 Max and M5 Ultra was referenced in iOS 26.3 Beta, with the M5 Pro strangely missing.
This led us to believe that Apple may add it later in the code, but one YouTuber had an ‘Eureka’ moment when he said that the ‘middle of the pack’ SoC is just another rebranded M5 Max that utilizes the same chip design. As you might have known, both silicon are expected to use TSMC’s 2.5D design technology instead of InFO (Integrated Fan-Out).
What you might not have known is that one of the biggest advantages offered by this switch is that the company can just use a single die design to develop a multitude of chips, negating the need to redesign individual Apple Silicon versions, which would otherwise be a costly endeavor.
Apple is expected to save millions on utilizing a single chip design for the M5 Pro and M5 Max; no confirmation if M5 Ultra will also be based on this approach
Vadim Yuryev, the host of the YouTube channel Max Tech, has made some bold statements regarding the lack of M5 Pro’s existence in the latest leak. Given that it is insanely expensive to design individual chip dies, followed by a tape-out process, and then move to mass production, Apple has figured out a way to leverage the same die to save a ton of money.
The YouTuber has previously said that the M5 Pro and M5 Max will flaunt a new chip design sporting separate CPU and GPU blocks, allowing users to pick unique configurations based on the workloads that they will primarily run. With TSMC’s 2.5D packaging, Apple can simply disable some performance and GPU cores on the M5 Pro, while enabling them on other units and rebranding them as the M5 Max.
This unified design approach also helps to improve heat dissipation by lowering resistance, while also reducing the number of defective chips. Given that the base M5 can reach 99 degrees Celsius when pushed hard, this was a welcome change. It will be interesting to see whether Vadim’s prediction ends up being true, but if you agree with the details mentioned in the post above, let us know in the comments.
News Source: Vadim Yuryev
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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