Apple Potentially Testing M3 Mac mini With Enhanced Performance: 8-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, and 24GB of RAM

Apple is gearing up for another event following the recent announcements of the iPhone 15 lineup and Apple Watch Series 9. Expected to take place in either October or November, this upcoming event will have the spotlight on the highly anticipated M3 chip. Reports suggest that Apple plans to launch upgraded Mac models later this year featuring the forthcoming M3 processor. Among them, a new version of the Mac mini is currently being tested with the M3 chip.

Contrary to initial speculation, the Mac mini was not previously listed among the expected upgrades with the M3 chip. However, according to reputable analyst Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter, recent third-party developer logs have revealed Apple’s ongoing work on a range of Macs, including the M3-powered devices.

The list of potentially upgraded Macs includes:

1. M3 13-Inch MacBook Air
2. M3 15-Inch MacBook Air
3. M3 13-Inch MacBook Pro
4. M3 24-inch iMac
5. M3 Pro and M3 Max 14-inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pro models
6. M3 Mac mini

The likely release schedule will see the announcement of M3 MacBook Air models, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the iMac later this year. However, the higher-end MacBook Pro models and the Mac mini are expected to be unveiled in the following year. The Mac mini, which has already received internal upgrades with the M2 Pro chip, is speculated to be launched alongside the high-end MacBook Pro models next year. Nonetheless, there’s a possibility of Apple revealing the M3-powered Mac mini later this year, with the M3 Pro variant reserved for next year’s release.

According to insider information, the M3 Mac mini will feature the same core count as the current M2 Mac mini. The key improvement lies in the new M3 chip, sporting an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, complemented by 24GB of RAM. The CPU will comprise four performance cores and four efficiency cores, promising significant performance gains.

The M3 chip will be manufactured using TSMC’s cutting-edge 3nm process, bringing not only enhanced computational and graphical performance but also substantial improvements in battery life for MacBooks. Due to its low power consumption, the M3 chip is expected to extend battery life on the MacBook Pro models by an additional hour or two. Although these details are speculative for now, Apple will undoubtedly seize the stage to officially unveil the M3 chip and the Mac mini later this year.